


The End of the Dream

by Jetsetlife138



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Banter, Barebacking, Biblical References, Blood and Gore, Blow Jobs, Come Swallowing, Demons, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Flirting, Hair-pulling, Hand Jobs, M/M, Mind Manipulation, Non-Consensual Touching, Public Blow Jobs, Public Hand Jobs, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Rimming, Seduction, Sexual Fantasy, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2018-11-16 09:28:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 59,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11250312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jetsetlife138/pseuds/Jetsetlife138
Summary: Frank Iero is exposed to his worst fears in human form when Gerard Way is possessed by the Devil himself.





	1. Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in a really long time and I thought I'd give it another go after being on hiatus for a few years. This was a story that I previously wrote on another fanfiction website. I've taken the plot and altered the characters to create a new My Chemical Romance based story. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Enjoy!

 

 

It was six o'clock in the morning when my eyes ripped open from the surprise of the shrill and redundant _beep beep beep_ coming from the alarm clock. As I reluctantly groaned and raised my arm to hit the snooze button I thought to myself, _it’s bullshit that anyone should have to be awake before the damn sun is even up._ The aggravating sound suddenly stopped, interrupting my thoughts before my hand even reached the clock. Squinting my eyes, I rolled my head to the side to look at the clock. _6:01_ was blinking in red.

 

_Great, my alarm clock is fucked up. It better go off in another 10 minutes or I’m going to be late for work… again. Fuck it._

 

I shifted back onto my side hoping to get in a few extra minutes of sleep when I heard the television turn on in the other room. Knowing it had to be my roommate, I flipped onto my back with an annoyed sigh.

 

_Seriously, Ray? You’re gonna blast the T.V. this early in the fucking morning?_

 

“Ray!” I shouted from my bed. “Turn it down! I’m trying to fucking sleep!” It instantly became silent as I buried my face in my pillow, not bothering to question why Ray was suddenly so unusually compliant.

 

Before I could drift off to sleep, my cell phone on the nightstand began to ring.

 

“God-fucking-dammit” I whined as I grabbed my phone. Strangely, the moment my fingers touched the phone, it stopped ringing. I glanced at the screen to see that it didn’t even register that it had received a call.

 

Baffled, I started to set the phone down when the alarm clock went off again. As I leaned over to turn it off, the television could be heard in the other room again, only this time louder. It seemed as though every object in the apartment that could make noise was suddenly projecting sound as loudly as possible, making me bolt upright, hands over my ears, struggling to understand what the fuck was happening.

 

Then, as soon as it started, the noises ceased. Heart pounding, I looked around my room wondering what the hell just happened. Head spinning, I barely noticed that my phone began to ring again. I eyed it curiously before picking it up once more to view the screen.

 

_Unknown Caller_

 

Against my better judgment, I answered, “Hello?”

 

For a moment I heard nothing but static until a low, somewhat nasally voice spoke into the phone, barely above a whisper. “Hello, Frank.” It was difficult to make out exactly what the stranger was saying. “I … en trying t … a hold … you …”

 

“What?” I asked to the mysterious voice, frustration quickly building up inside of me after getting the shit scared out of me so early in the morning. “I can’t hear you, man. You’re breaking up.”

 

“Listen to me, Frank. This is very important” the mystery voice stated a bit more clearly. I could understand more of what he was saying through the static. “I need you to do something for me.”

 

“Very funny, asshole. Who is this?”

 

He ignored me as he continued to provide instructions. “Go to the old church on Edgewater Avenue. There is something I need you to retrieve for me. It is of utmost importance. Do you understand what I am telling you, Frank?”

 

With an annoyed and somewhat amused huff, I replied, “Okay, ha-ha. Great prank, dick. I’m hanging up now.”

 

“No,” he answered impatiently. “You _have_ to do this. I can assure you that you’ll regret it if you don’t. Go to the church, Frank. I will not be so kind if you refuse my instructions.”

 

The morning was not a good time to fuck with me. “Look, fuckwad, I’m not going anywhere. I don’t know who you are and I don’t care. If you call me again, I’ll hunt you down and kick your ass.” I was only somewhat bluffing. I may be short and small-framed, but that didn’t stop me from winning almost every fight I had been in. A lot can be said for an underestimated small guy with a lot of rage.

 

I quickly hung up the phone and fell into my pillow. Just as I had gotten comfortable, the familiar, disturbing sound of my alarm clock went off. I went to shut it off for the last time but stopped short when I read what it had said. There were no numbers, only letters scrolling across the screen.

 

_You can’t ignore me, Frank. Don’t bother to run. Accept my instructions. Trust me and allow me to lead you. Take my hand, Frank._

 

The moment I finished reading, a familiar voice was heard from behind me catching me off-guard. “Frank,” it whispered eerily.

 

I whipped around to see a man in the shadows holding his hand out towards me. I couldn’t clearly see his face, only his silhouette in the darkness. “Come with me,” he said in a voice that was both inviting and equally terrifying.

 

It was as if my heart had stopped beating. I couldn’t move or breathe in view of the fact that I was frozen with fear. He quietly cackled at my response, peeling back his lips into a crooked smile revealing small, jagged teeth that sent chills up my spine.

 

Not waiting for my response, he took my hand in his, which burned to the touch and held it against his chest. “You’re not going to regret this,” was all that escaped his lips before a shrill _beep beep beep_ rang throughout my head, blurring my vision into a mess of darkness and confusion.

 

I sat up gasping, holding my hand to my pounding heart which was beating fiercely against my chest. I turned to the source of the piercing sound. _6:00_ the clock read. I switched it off and turned on the light sitting on my nightstand, illuminating my somewhat dark room due to the black curtains blocking out the morning sun. My eyes darted around the room searching for the frightening figure that haunted me.  
  
Sighing with relief, my pounding heart started to slow down upon the realization that it was just a nightmare. _Holy fuck. It was just a dream. Just a bad dream_ , I reassured myself.

 

Lost in thought, tiredly convincing myself that it was a nightmare and that I was not, in fact, being haunted, I gazed down at the hand that had been grabbed by the shadowy figure. I choked on my own breath and my eyes widened with terror as I noticed that it was red and swollen … as if it had been burned.


	2. The Only One

__

 

_What the actual fuck? What does this mean? Is it possible for dreams to cause a physical effect on the body?_

  
My head was whirling with questions as I got into the shower shortly after my bizarre nightmare. I figured the cold water would help reduce my stress as well as the pain surging through my hand. The area where the man had touched me in my dream was raw and agitated.

  
I leaned my head back under the running water breathing a sigh of relief, enjoying the feeling of my worries flowing down the drain with the water. I was adamantly ignoring the fact that as soon as I stepped out of the shower, they would overwhelm me once again. I ran my fingers through my wet hair, not thinking about anything until I started to have a very uneasy feeling. I had a strange sensation that I suddenly wasn’t alone. I poked my head out from behind the curtain to look around but saw nothing. Pushing the abnormal feelings aside, I continued with my shower.

  
Shortly after that, I heard someone laughing. “Ray?” I called out, wondering what he was doing up so early.

  
No one answered. Abruptly, I felt a gust of air rush past me, making me shiver and catching me off guard since there was no window or anything that logically could have caused that. I heard a low chuckle echo throughout the room, just barely loud enough for me to hear it. Again, I checked from behind the curtain of the shower and saw no one, but the laughter continued.

  
“Who’s there?” I nervously asked, not fully expecting a response in return. The laughter died out slowly, leaving me to question my sanity. I rushed through the rest of my shower, accepting the fact that I was slowly going crazy and was in need of a distraction.

  
I stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and heard dishes clattering in the kitchen. I entered to find Ray searching for a bowl to make breakfast with. He and I shared a small apartment together near our college campus. “Morning,” he yawned, briefly acknowledging my presence as he was focused on what he could eat before class.

  
I halfheartedly nodded in response before asking, “Hey, did you sleep okay last night?”

  
“Like a baby,” he replied before biting into the apple he grabbed off of the counter in lieu of cereal. “Why?”

  
“I was just curious…” I trailed off. He eyed me curiously as he continued to loudly chew his apple. I sighed tiredly before explaining further. “I had some weird dream is all. Or maybe it was a night terror, I don’t know. I was wondering if it had anything to do with that Thai food we had last night.” I paused to think about the consequences of asking my next question due to the fact that Ray could get overly passionate about odd and superstitious circumstances. “Do you think it’s possible for dreams to have an effect on people physically?” Pain subtly surged through my hand at the memory of the dream.

  
Ray halted his obscene chewing and with a puzzled expression, he replied, “Hmm, I’m sure it’s possible. I mean, our brains are so complex and powerful that we haven’t even fully been able to understand its limits. Our brain is what controls how we process anything physical, so yeah, I would definitely say that they can.”

  
“Ah. Well, that’s good, I guess...”

  
“Why do you ask? Did your dream disfigure you? You look like normal Frank to me,” he commented sarcastically before taking another bite out of his apple.

  
I casually waved my uninjured hand at him before heading back to my room. “No, man. I was just curious. Thanks.”

  
I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that was plaguing my thoughts. I couldn’t take my mind off of the dream, more specifically the man who was in it. His words were playing on repeat in my head along with his sinister smile and macabre stare.

  
I tried to distract myself by thinking of the lecture that awaited me in my next class, but it was pointless. I quickly pulled on some clothes, grabbed my books, and after a short train ride I was on campus, sluggishly making my way to class. To make matters worse, I knew it was probably because I had such a poor night's sleep, but I could have sworn I saw the same terrifying silhouette of the strange dream-man in some of the reflections of the windows I passed. I kept looking around and there was never anyone there behind me. I quickly became annoyed with myself and admitted that this was getting out of control. I needed to let this go and move on. It was a dream for fuck’s sake, and my hand was already feeling better.

  
I took my usual seat in the farthest corner in the back of the lecture hall hoping that class would take my mind off of things. It’s not like I didn’t have other things to worry about. To name a few things offhand, I was falling behind in classes, trying to successfully split my time between my workload and my band, I was missing work more than usual because our band was offered shows that I couldn’t pass up, my family and I were a bit estranged and on top of all that, my most recent relationship failed because of my alleged lack of empathy. I had plenty of fucked up things going on in my life that I should have been more concerned with, so the fact that I was caught up in a dream and a sore hand was stupid.

  
Class began and I could already feel myself getting bored. My lack of sleep from last night wasn’t helping and the fact that I have never been a morning person was keeping me from concentrating. We were discussing the same subject we had gone over for the past week, so instead of taking more notes on the same topic, I laid my head on my hand and stared lazily at the professor giving the lecture. I could see the rest of the class was doing the same.

  
Just as I was beginning to zone out, a voice whispered to my side, “Fuckin’ A, this guy is going to bore us all to death.”

  
I quietly snickered and turned slightly to acknowledge who had spoken. I choked on my own laughter and bolted upright in surprise as I turned to face the man sitting next to me. It was the man from my dream. I glanced frantically around the room in panic and alarm, but no one was paying the slightest attention.

  
“How-… who-… the fuck-…?” was all I managed to whisper hysterically. I wasn’t able to properly form words as I just continued to stare in confusion.

  
“Awe, Frank, close your mouth, that’s rude.” I hadn’t realized that my mouth was hanging open in bewilderment so I quickly closed it, taken aback by his tone of voice and his mocking behavior. He wasn’t nearly as terrifying as I remembered from my dream.

  
He chuckled darkly at my reaction and continued, “I’ve really been looking forward to meeting you, Frank. I’m sorry to drop in on you like this. I was hoping for something a little more… intimate…” he paused, smiling wickedly before continuing, “But time is of the essence and I had to get introductions out of the way.”

  
Before I could fully comprehend what he was saying, I took a minute to really look him over. I could now clearly see his features which had been lost in the darkness and shadows of my dream. I was right about the dark hair, but now I could tell that it wasn’t just dark, it was ebony black. It was full, unkempt and shaggy, which was a juxtaposition compared to his tight fitting white dress-shirt, vest, and black tie. He had teardrop shaped, dull light brown eyes with a green undertone that made him look wise beyond his years. He didn’t appear to be any older than his early 30’s though. His high cheekbones accentuated his small pointed nose which gave him a boyish appearance in comparison to his thick body frame.

  
As I finished surveying him I noticed that he was smirking. I snapped back into the present after he playfully teased, “Please try to pay attention, Frank. I’m not _that_ pretty. We have more important things to discuss.”

  
He took a moment to glance down at my sore hand, which was still discolored from the burn. He hissed slightly and frowned, “Sorry about that. I clearly underestimated our connection. I really didn’t think that touching you would have such a prominent effect.” He paused to smile wryly at me. “Want me to kiss it better?”  
  
  
After I slowly started to come to terms with the current situation, I bluntly asked, “Who are you? How do you know me?” I was trying my best to stay quiet so as not to draw attention to us. The strange man was not at all being inconspicuous and I looked around the room to see if anyone else was watching and listening in on our discussion.  
  
  
He followed my gaze surveying our surroundings before answering my unspoken question, “Don’t worry about them, no one here can see me... except you, of course.” He added with a wink. It seemed as though he was laughing at his own joke that no one else was in on.  


I was beginning to get annoyed with his game. “Okay, you know what? This is really fucking weird and I’m getting tired of this. You need to get the fuck out, I’m not interested in whatever it is that you’re getting at.”  
  
  
His playful look suddenly became rigid. “I’ll allow your attitude to go undisciplined for now, but do not test me, Frank. As much as I enjoy mind games I’m in a bit of a hurry and need you to do what I tell you. As I previously mentioned, you are to go to the church on Edgewater Avenue. It’s currently vacant, so you will not have any trouble getting in. Upon arrival, I’ll provide further instructions, but you need to get there. Today.”  
  
  
“Dude, are you insane?” I asked, losing my patience. “How many times do I have to say ‘no’ before you understand? Fuck off! You need to get your head checked man, you’re fucking deranged.”  
  
  
His eyes abruptly became several shades darker as they flashed with anger and I suddenly became aware of the heat radiating off of his body. I looked down at his clenched fists suddenly nervous and very aware of his close proximity to me. I felt my sanity crumble with each passing minute as I allowed myself to continue having a conversation with the delusion from my dream.  
  
  
“Frank,” he warned through clenched teeth. “No one else can do this for me. You’re the only one who has the ability to complete this task and refusal is not an option,” he carefully emphasized the last phrase. “I’m not always going to be this nice, so stop fucking around and do what I tell you.”  
  
  
The look on his face told me he was serious, but I didn’t give a shit. I remained expressionless as I took a deep breath, leaned in closely and simply whispered, “...No.”  
  
  
The word barely escaped my lips before he lunged at me, making me cry out in shock. I instinctively shoved my arms out in front of me for protection, closed my eyes and fell clean out of my chair from the impact. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I shouted, still shielding my face from the impending attack. I felt someone shaking me and I started to fight back until I realized that no one was hurting me. I pulled my arms down and slowly opened my eyes to see multiple concerned and frightened faces staring back at me.  
  
  
Gasping, I sat up and saw that the entire classroom, including the professor, was looking at me, waiting for an explanation. “I-I’m so sorry... I need to be excused,” I said breathlessly. I grabbed my things and sprinted out the door, hearing laughter from my classmates as I exited.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penny for your thoughts?


	3. A New Way To Bleed

 

I was having a mental breakdown. That had to be it. That was the only explanation for my sudden night terrors. Or… day terrors, too? Fuck. I clearly needed to see a doctor, or a psychiatrist or something. It was apparent that something was fucked up in my head and I needed to get it sorted out. Being mentally unstable was not something I needed to add onto my already fragile reputation as “that punk dude in that cool band”.

  
  
Catching my breath and lost in thought, I hardly noticed my name being called from across the quad. I halfheartedly looked in the direction of who was calling me, afraid it was one of my previous classmates coming to taunt me. Instead, I saw Ray approaching me with a big grin on his face, which faded fast when he saw my expression. “Frank? What’s wrong?”

 

I was still dazed from what had happened and I really didn’t feel like getting into it with Ray right now. “Uh, nothing. I fell asleep in class. I made an idiot out of myself by snoring and the professor asked me to leave,” I lied, impressed with how quickly I came up with that.

 

Ray laughed in response, “Dude, I don’t blame you. I had Mr. Clem last semester. Trying to stay alert in his class is more difficult than learning the actual material.” He patted my back reassuringly. “Don’t sweat it, I’m sure you’re not the first.”

 

“Yeah… thanks.” I sighed. “I just… I need to decompress. I think I’m going to take a walk until my next class. You know, just get some air.” I really wasn’t in the mood to talk and Ray’s the type of guy who would set aside everything to help out a friend. I didn’t want him to stress about it. Hell, I didn’t even know if there was anything to stress out about. I could just be sleep-deprived and be overthinking the whole thing. Or at least that’s what I was trying to convince myself of.

 

“Yeah… okay,” he said with a subtly concerned look. “But call me if you need anything… and do us all a favor and get your shit together before tonight,” he playfully mocked.

 

“Got it... wait-” I paused, confused. “What’s tonight?”

  
  
Ray took a minute to stare at me dumbfounded before replying, “Umm… the Ride or Cry gig? One of the biggest shows that we’ve ever played? The show that we’ve been exhausting ourselves over for the past 3 weeks?”

 

_Shit. How the fuck could I have forgotten that was tonight? It was only the show that we had all been looking forward to playing for weeks, how could I be so stupid?_

 

“I was kidding, Ray,” I lied through my teeth. ”I got it, I’ll meet up with you there,” I said confidently, not wanting Ray to catch onto the fact that I almost fucked over our band.

 

He looked at me skeptically before giving me a short nod. “Yeah, okay… I’ll see you tonight then.” It was obvious that he knew something was up, but he didn’t press on about it.

  
  
We parted ways and I started making my way into town. I went on walks fairly often. It was something I liked to do particularly when I was writing songs. I don’t think about where I’m going or where I’ll end up, I just let my feet do the thinking and when I’m done, I find my way back.

 

After about an hour or so of walking, and taking care to avoid as many unwanted reflections as possible, I noticed that I was in an unfamiliar area. I ventured further down the road until I was able to find a street sign. When I found it, I nearly choked on my own breath.

 

_Edgewater Ave._

 

Again, my head was whirling with questions. _Was this a coincidence? What are the odds that my mindless wandering would lead me to this street?_

 

My curiosity got the better of me and I continued to walk down Edgewater Avenue. It was a pretty run-down block. The street was lined with old, abandoned looking buildings and I couldn’t understand why. An entire college campus and civilization were just a few miles away. What had happened to this place?

 

I continued to look around until something stopped me. At the end of the street was a tall, Gothic-style church with a blood-red door, which seemed completely out of place among the quaint, small buildings surrounding it. I started to approach it to get a closer look and once I was directly in front of the church, I had a strong sense of unease.

  
  
Though I was nervous, curiosity got the better of me and I couldn’t fight the urge to go inside to get a better understanding of why I was drawn to this place. I wanted to know if this was the church the man from my nightmare had been talking about. I took a step forward ready to walk inside when my cell phone rang, pulling me out of my trance.

 

A bit irritated by the interruption, I stopped to check who was calling. When I saw that I was Ray, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. “Hello?” I answered impatiently.

 

“Hey Frank, listen, about the gig tonight… don’t freak out… but one of my amps just blew and we need another one for tonight.”

  
  
“What?” I asked, still dazed.

  
  
“Don’t worry, I talked to Mike and he said that we could borrow one of his extra amps, but would you mind stopping by his house to pick it up? I’ve already got most of the gear packed up and am about to head over to set up.”

 

I was still too focused on the church to really be paying attention. “Wait… what happened to the amp?”

 

“Earth to Frank!” Ray shouted into the phone. “Come on, dude! We’ve been waiting for this! This gig is going to bring in a lot of people and I really need you to be on top of your game tonight, okay? Please?”

 

I had been too wrapped up in my own shit to remember what this truly meant for our band. It was the biggest local event of the year.  This was a really big opportunity to showcase what we were capable of before heading out on tour for the summer. Though we had already established a pretty large fan base, this event was going to bring in people from all over the state, including talent scouts with readily available record deals.

 

“Alright, yeah, sorry, I’ll pick it up.” I finally agreed, snapping out of my previous trance.

  
  
“Cool, I’ll meet you there. Seriously, Frank, whatever is going on with you, you really need to focus on tonight. Just give me tonight and then you can go on whatever spirit journey you need to. I’ll see you soon.” Before I could give a response he had hung up the phone. He was absolutely right, I needed to focus on what was most important. This gig means everything to us, not some weird church in the middle of nowhere.

  
  
I turned around, forcing myself to forget about the church for the time being, and called an Uber to take me to campus. A few hours later I stopped by Mike’s to pick up the amp before making my way to the Ride of Cry show. To be honest I didn’t even know what the event was all about. I didn’t care. I just knew that it brought in a lot of people who were drawn to the punk scene.

 

Ray and the others had already set up most of the equipment by the time I arrived. I helped set up the amp and we immediately started doing sound check. I downed a few beers in the process to help me loosen up for the show. I had always felt really comfortable on stage, and if I was being honest, I liked the attention. I loved having the focus of the crowd and connecting with them on stage. It was a feeling unlike anything else.

  
  
We got the go-ahead from one of the event organizers to go ahead and start our set, and all of my concentration was directed toward the crowd. We were all really eager to make this the best show that we had ever played.

  
  
“Ride or Cry! How’s everyone doing tonight?” I shouted into the mic, slightly buzzed from both the alcohol and the hyped crowd. “We are Skeleton Crew, and we are here to make sure that you have the best fucking night of your lives!”

  
  
The audience roared with excitement as we went right into our first song. The feeling of playing in front of a crowd and exhausting every emotion I had on stage was absolutely euphoric. All of the nervousness and unease from the past few weeks melted away as the music surged through me. There was no doubt that this was where I belonged and that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

 

We tore through our setlist with a ridiculous amount of energy that would make any punk legend proud. It was hands down the best show that we had ever played and the crowd responded in kind. We finished our set with our most popular song and I had invited the audience to buy us shots after our set, to which we received a roar of approval.

 

With permanent smiles plastered on our faces, covered in sweat and receiving praise from the event organizers, we packed up our stuff, ready to relax and partake in the perks of free alcohol. Tonight was the first night in a long time I had really relaxed and gotten to enjoy myself.

 

A few hours later, after taking part in every beer guzzling game that was being played, as well as after imbibing every drink and shot that was handed to me from the people who saw our set, I was smashed. I was inebriated to the point where I could barely stand anymore. I could feel myself stumbling all over the place as I made my way to any flat surface on which I could sit for a few minutes. I couldn’t see straight and everything was a blur.

  
  
Luckily, I found a bench on the outskirts of the crowd on the terrace in the back of the building. Though I had been having a great time, and I loved interacting with the people who were praising our performance, I was grateful for the chance to step out away from all of the people while I was on the verge of getting sick. I really should have paced myself better, but it had been such an amazing night, I didn’t care about how shitty I would feel tomorrow.

 

I sat down and raised my head to look up at the sky. The stars were swirling in the sky and I focused on their movement for a while, appreciating their beauty in my intoxication. Shortly after, I could feel someone sit down next to me and casually drape their arm over my shoulder. “My, my,” said an eerily familiar voice. “You’ve outdone yourself tonight, haven’t you?” The stranger with the low and soothing voice lightly chuckled at my apparent state of inebriation. “Here, have some water.”

 

Without looking at who was offering the water, I gratefully took the plastic cup and quickly gulped down the water inside of it. “Thank you,” I replied weakly.

 

“It’s my pleasure, Frank.” The stranger’s voice was dangerously calm. “Now, I hate to be repetitive, but have you reconsidered since the last time we spoke?”

 

I slowly turned my head to face the person who was talking to me. It took a few seconds to try and stop the world from spinning so that I could focus on the man through my half-lidded eyes.

  
  
Then it clicked. I gasped and immediately tried to fight my way out from underneath his arm that he had swathed over me. “Y-You!” I stammered.

 

Holding me down, he laughed darkly at my response. “Don’t act so surprised. You should have known that I would be making another visit. So, what is your answer, Frank? We can’t keep meeting like this.”

 

My mind was on overdrive and I was honestly trying to keep from throwing up, both from drinking as well as from fear. “Look,” I slurred, stupidly leaning closer, to which he raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “I’m sorry, b-but I can’t help you. You are gonna have to find someone else. I-I can’t. I…” I couldn’t even finish my thought. I leaned back and let my head fall backward onto the bench before shutting my eyes, letting the alcohol consume me.

 

“Well, that’s not the answer I was hoping for, but not to worry, I still have confidence in you.” I could feel him patting my shoulder gently in reassurance. “We still have time, but not much. I advise you to take caution, Frank. Do not make the mistake of underestimating me or taking my kindness for granted. Asking for your cooperation is simply a courteous gesture on my part, and is not at all required to get you to do what I want.”

 

He paused for a minute, waiting for my response before exhaling deeply with vexation. Though I was plastered, I could have sworn that I felt him caress the side of my face for a few moments before delicately brushing my hair out of my face. Had I not been so afraid of him, I might have even found that enjoyable.  “Maybe this will enlighten you,” he suddenly spoke, breaking the short-lived silence.

 

I opened my eyes and quickly sat up as I felt him remove his arm from around me. Everything was still spinning, but I could see him a bit more clearly now. He stood up and winked at me before turning around to walk up to a group of people in the middle of the terrace who were quietly chatting with each other, sipping on their drinks.

 

He lightly grabbed one of the guys from the circle and brought him out in the opening. No one from his circle of friends seemed to notice. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t see clearly see anything right in front of my face, let alone a guy from across the room. The man from my nightmares began engaging in conversation with him, making the other man laugh boisterously. It was a laugh that I knew well. It was then that I realized that he was speaking to my roommate, Ray.

 

I continued to look at the two of them, confused as to whether or not they knew each other or if the strange man was trying to convince Ray to go to the church for him rather than myself. My thoughts were abruptly interrupted when they both stopped speaking to stare directly at me. My confusion soon turned to horrific disbelief as the stranger started to tremble, his eyes turning pitch black, which I could even see from a distance.

  
  
His mouth began to open up to an impossible length as he unhinged his jaw with a sickening cracking sound. Sharp, jagged teeth began emerging from his mouth and without warning, he ripped into Ray’s jugular. He and I both screamed as I lurched forward from the bench, tripping over myself and falling to the floor.

 

The blood was falling fast as the monster continued to chomp at Ray’s throat until he reached the bone. Ray’s head fell back, his neck practically gone and I continued to lay on the ground, dumbfounded, suddenly more sober than should have been possible. I looked around the terrace, desperately hoping someone would see what he was doing and stop him, but no one even glanced in their direction.

 

The monster dropped him to the floor when he was done and slowly wiped the blood from his mouth, which only smeared it further across his face. He popped his jaw back into place and his long, sharp teeth went back to their normal size. I glared up at him from the floor, not fully able to even breathe and yet somehow simultaneously sobbing. He walked closer to me, his lips peeled back in a wicked grin. When I finally managed to speak, I shouted, “What the fuck is wrong with you? Why would you…?” Another sob halted my speech. I became a pathetic, heaping mess on the floor.

 

He chuckled darkly and knelt beside me. “This was a warning, Frank. I’ve been very patient with you so far. I guess you could say that I’ve grown a soft spot for you.” He brought his bloody hand under my chin and lifted it so that I was staring into his burning, soulless eyes. “Do not disappoint me.” The stranger then raised up his other hand and snapped his fingers loudly, making the world go black.

* * *

 

I jolted up, taking in a deep, sudden gasp of air. My eyes darted around the familiar setting where people were laughing and talking merrily our on the terrace. I clutched my chest, which felt like my heart was literally going to explode out of it and looked down to realize that I was back on the bench on the outskirts of the crowd. I frantically glanced up to see Ray talking happily with a group of fans.

 

“Ray!” I croaked from the bench. He looked around for a moment before spotting me and making his way over, excusing himself from the fans.

 

“Frank, you fuckin’ lush,” he laughed when he saw me. What are you doing over here? Did you seriously pass out?”

 

Jumping up, I threw my arms around him, which caused him to stumble back a bit from surprise. “Okay, I think you’re done for the night. Let’s get you back before you puke all over the place,” he lightheartedly teased.

  
  
We started making our way towards the car and I clung onto his arm, both for balance as well as for fear of his mortality. I couldn’t tell what was real and what was a dream anymore.

 

Foolishly, I took one final glance behind me, physically shaking after what I had just witnessed. When I looked back, I saw the man from my visions in the middle of the crowd, smiling wickedly at me. He then raised a bloody hand and delicately placed a finger up to his lips to whisper, “Shhh”.

  
  
His gesture was the last thing I could remember before blacking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still not sure how happy I am with this chapter. I re-wrote it like 5 times so hopefully, it holds up. Thank you for all of the kudos and reviews! They make my day and inspire me to write more.


	4. Say You Will

 

Strong hands were caressing my chest, each touch igniting some insatiable desire that I never knew I had. Slowly and teasingly, the hands were making their way down my stomach and onto my hips, which caused me to buck up involuntarily with anticipation. Sensual, dark laughter could be heard in response to my silent begging. Who it belonged to didn’t concern me. I was entirely focused on the fact that I craved to be touched and that I had never needed anything more in my entire life.

  
  
I licked my lips in anticipation while eliciting a small whine expressing my desperate desire. A mouth was suddenly covering my own, our lips moving hungrily together, both eager for what was about to occur. I felt a tongue caressing my lips, begging for entry to which I earnestly accepted.

  
  
I was almost too fixated on the kiss to realize that a hand was abruptly stroking my aching cock, which was already heavily leaking pre-cum. When a thumb swirled over my slit, I gasped into the kiss, the feeling of contact almost too much to handle. I was already so close and these touches were absolutely magical.

  
  
I pulled back, wanting to fully acknowledge and appreciate who was making me feel so good. I was met with ravenous hazel eyes, clouded with lust and mischief. He smiled at me, his small, pointed teeth gleaming in the dim light. His black hair was slicked back with sweat and he was breathing heavily with each stroke he gave me, pleased with my reactions to his touch.

  
  
“Do you like this, Frank?” he seductively whispered into my ear, his voice dripping with unabridged sin. “Do I make you feel good?”

  
  
“O-oh fuck, yes. Please-” I begged in between breaths.

  
  
He smirked as his strokes began to slow, making me stifle a sob in protest from the loss of friction. “Tell me what I want to hear,” he panted passionately. “I can satisfy you in ways that you can't even imagine. I just need you to say it, Frank.”

  
  
Something was off. There was a reason I didn’t want to agree to his odd request, but all logic was eradicated from my brain when he gave my cock a tight squeeze, interrupting whatever rebuttal I had.

  
  
“Please,” I continued to beg. “I need this… I need you.”

  
  
“You’ll have me,” he urged while placing soft kisses in the crook of my neck, nibbling lightly at the skin. “You’ll have all of me, but not before you give me what I want.” I turned to face him, meeting his expectant gaze with my own desperate one. “Come on, it will be worth it, I promise. Just say the words, Frank.”

  
  
I leaned forward to kiss him gently, earning a couple of quick pumps from him in return. I choked on my own breath from the unexpected increase in contact before pulling away and meeting his confident stare. Why would I not give this man everything? He was perfection and I wanted to do whatever I could to make him happy.

  
  
“Yes,” I breathlessly promised. “I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever you want, I swear. Just don’t stop,” I pleaded, pushing my hips forward into his touch.

  
  
His lips peeled back into a wickedly iniquitous smile before he hurried his movement to an unbelievable speed. I threw my head back in ecstasy, the familiar sensation building up quickly at the fiction he was giving me. I almost came on the spot when I felt a hot, moist mouth envelop my throbbing dick.

  
  
After only a few more strokes I was ejaculating heavily into his eager mouth, my cries of pleasure echoing throughout the room as his teeth and tongue grazed the underside of my cock as he swallowed my load in its entirety. I began to pulsate with the aftershock as the euphoric feeling spread throughout my body, slowly bringing me back to a coherent state of mind.

  
  
He licked his lips as he positioned himself on top of me, running his fingers delicately through my hair while planting small kisses on my temple. “You’ve made me very happy, Frank,” he whispered against my skin. “You’re not going to regret this.”

 

* * *

 

I awoke instantly, covered in sweat and sporting a painful erection _What the fuck was that about?_

  
  
I stirred uncomfortably, taking a minute to comprehend where I was while mentally recovering from the nonsensical dream in my mind. I couldn’t understand why I would have a dream like that about a man who not only didn’t exist but also who scared the shit out of me. I didn’t particularly feel attracted to him either. I suppose one could say that he was a handsome man by general standards, but his demeanor in my visions was less than appealing and should have been a huge turn-off.

  
  
I tried to force myself to think of anything else other than the dream to in spite of my obvious hard-on. I soon became distracted as the room started to come into focus and I had realized that I had somehow made it back into my own bed after last night’s events. I looked over at the clock and cursed under my breath when I saw that it was almost noon. My head was pounding and I was struggling to remember anything from the night before. Last night was a prime example of why I shouldn’t drink so heavily. I’m sure I made a fool of myself at one point, but it was a special occasion and it was well-deserved after the performance we gave. I was grateful to at least be able to remember that part of the night.

 

Groaning, I got out of bed and intentionally pushed away any thoughts regarding my inebriated state after the show. I didn’t want to remember what I said, who I hit on, or what I destroyed in the process of celebrating. Holy shit, what an awesome gig. I was still basking in the glow of it as I threw on a shirt and walked out into the kitchen to make some coffee.

  
  
I let my mind wander as I relished in the memory of our set last night. I couldn’t wait to head back out on tour over the summer. I was really hoping to hear from some potential sponsors or some record labels who were at the show, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

  
  
The coffee was just starting to fill the pot, saturating the apartment with the alluring smell when I heard someone approaching the kitchen from behind, followed by Ray’s tired voice. “Thank fucking god. Nectar of the gods!”

  
  
I let out a short, quiet laugh, appreciating his seemingly never-ending optimism. “Fuck yeah,” I turned around to offer him a cup, “Dude, last night was-” I was stopped short at the sight of him, making me drop the mug I was holding. I barely registered the sound of the ceramic shattering on the kitchen floor as I gasped in terror.

 

His neck was gone. Blood was oozing everywhere, pooling on the floor and his head lay limp to the side with no neck to support it. “Frank? What’s wrong?” his lifeless lips asked me.

 

I closed my eyes tightly, no longer able to register the difference between my nightmares and reality. The unwanted memories from last night were flooding back into my mind, making me tremble with anxiety and fear. I shook my head and opened my eyes to find that Ray had returned to his normal self again, his neck fully intact, but with a worried look on his face. I couldn’t even find the words to explain myself. “Ray, I-”

 

“Frank,” he interrupted, cautiously stepping closer, “Look, don’t get me wrong, you put on a hell of a show last night, so whatever is going on, clearly it hasn’t affected your playing. It honestly couldn’t have gone any better... but something is up with you, man. You can’t keep pretending like nothing’s wrong. I’m your best friend, you can talk to me.” It was hard to argue with him about it at this point. Ray knew me probably better than I knew myself, and I should have known that I couldn’t pull anything past him.

 

I was never the touchy-feely type of guy. I had always made it a habit of repressing my feelings and just going along like everything was okay. If I’m being honest, that’s one of the main reasons why I could never maintain a relationship. “I know, Ray. Thanks… I mean it. I guess I’m just having trouble distinguishing what’s real and what’s fantasy lately. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” It wasn’t entirely a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. I could live with that.

 

He stood there, carefully considering his words before he spoke. “Why don’t we get out of here? We’ve both been under a lot of pressure with the show and with school and everything in between. Why don’t we go and check out the art show that they’re hosting at The House Café?”

 

I couldn’t really say no to his suggestion. I wasn’t necessarily a huge art enthusiast, but I could sense that he had an ulterior motive and would probably make me go even if I denied, so I just nodded my head in agreement while I went to grab the broom to sweep up the shattered mug.

 

“Cool, I’ll invite Bob and James too. They probably need as much of a break as we do after last night’s show. They killed it! Maybe you could invite that mystery guy you were talking about?” he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

 

I froze, broom in hand, eyes widening at his suggestion. “What mystery guy?”

  
  
Ray smiled and rolled his eyes at my response. “The guy that you were going on and on about last night on the way home. I didn’t get to meet him, but you said that there was a guy at the event last night who ‘wanted you’. I thought you might have gotten a number or something.”

  
  
I tried to brush it off, not wanting him to catch on to my apparent unease. “Honestly, I can hardly remember. I don’t even know his name. I was a little trashed last night in case you didn’t notice.” I was getting better at mixing the truth within a lie, which might not have been a positive thing.

 

“How could I not notice?” he snickered, handing me the dustpan as I finished cleaning up the mug. “You left all of the evidence on the side of my car when you hurled out of the window. Next time, we’re bringing a trash can.”

 

“Shit. Sorry about that,” I moaned into my hands, covering my face in shame. “It’s been a long time since I partied like that.”

 

“Don’t worry about it. I hosed it down last night so it’s all clear. At least it was on the outside of the car,” he commented playfully.

  
  
I smirked, knowing that it was a bigger deal than he let on. He loved his car and I can only imagine how pissed off he was that he had a layer of puke on the passenger side door.

  
  
“Thank you, by the way. I don’t know how I would have gotten home had you not taken care of me.”

  
  
Ray waved his hand dismissively in response. “You would have done the same for me.”

  
  
I grabbed a couple of new mugs from the cabinet and poured us some much-needed coffee while we talked about how amazing the show was and how excited we were for the upcoming tour. Once we were finished, I got in the shower, got changed and we drove to The House Café, a popular local cafe which had it’s own gallery events from time to time.

 

Bob and James had met us there and immediately started gushing about what last night’s show meant for us and started discussing how we could change things up on tour. I smiled, genuinely enjoying their enthusiasm as if we hadn’t been doing summer tours for the past four years.

  
  
We ordered more coffee and started heading through the gallery, which was featuring drawings and paintings by an up and coming local artist. It was more packed than any of them had ever seen.

  
  
“Wow,” Ray commented, looking around at the crowd. “I’ve never seen this place so busy. The artist must have a following.”

  
  
We started walking through the gallery, which was entitled _La Parata Nera_ and I was immediately drawn to the first pieces of work that I saw. The artist only used black, white, and gray colors, making his art have a hauntingly beautiful element. I didn’t know much about art, but I could appreciate the beauty of it all and the way the artist must have been fascinated by the aspect of death, which was apparent in his craft.

  
  
“Frank,” I heard Ray call from across the room. “Come check this out.”

 

  
I pulled myself away from a particularly interesting piece featuring a gloomy hospital room with an empty bed labeled, _Cancro_ , and walked over to Ray. “What’s up?”

  
  
Ray pointed to a flyer on the wall before replying, “No wonder there are so many people here today. It’s a memorial gallery.” I didn’t bother to read the poster that he was pointing at since I was captivated by another work of art nearby. While inspecting the other piece I asked, “What does that even mean?”

  
  
Ray paused for a moment, still reading the sign before replying, “The artist died last week. These were the final pieces that he was working on before he died.”

  
  
“No way,” I responded, tearing my eyes away from the alluring canvas. “That’s a bummer, he was clearly really talented and if his art is being featured here he must have been gaining some popularity.”

  
  
“Yeah. Fuck, apparently he was murdered,” Ray continued to read. “He was on his way home and was stuck by a car in a hit and run accident. Police are still investigating, holy shit,” he finished reading in fascination. “I remember hearing about that last week.”

  
  
“What was his name?” I asked, a little too apathetically.

  
  
“Gerard Way,” he replied, pointing to the name at the top of the flyer. “It has a picture here, take a look.”

 

I walked closer to look casually at the picture on the flyer. As I glanced up, I swear that for a brief moment I could feel my heart stop beneath my chest. The man featured on the flyer had ebony black hair, hazel eyes, a small pointed nose and a frighteningly familiar smile. It was the man from my nightmares.

 

I stammered back a few steps trying to balance myself as my mind started whirling all over again. Questions started flooding my mind as my heart began to beat faster, causing shortness of breath.

  
  
_Have I met this man before? Do I just not remember meeting him? Have I seen him at a show? Was I being haunted by a ghost? Why the fuck was I suddenly seeing him everywhere?_

 

“Wh-What’s his name again?” I croaked out.

 

“Gerard Way,” Ray answered not taking his eyes off of the flyer. “Wow, that fucking sucks. He seems like he was really talented and by the looks of it, he was starting to make a name for himself. I wonder if-” he immediately stopped talking after he turned around and noticed me visibly shaking with trepidation. “Hey, are you okay? What’s wrong?”

 

“I need to talk to you about something,” I spoke with a hushed tone as I took him by the arm and dragged him out of the gallery. “Now.”

 

I found a bench outside of the building and sat down. Ray looked at me with a concerned expression, waiting for an answer. I sighed heavily before I began. “Okay, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I know that guy. Well, I’ve been seeing him.”

 

“What guy?” he asked apprehensively.

 

“Gerard Way! The artist of the gallery! It’s like I’ve been seeing him everywhere for the past couple of days. He’s in my dreams, he was in class with me, he was at the show last night and I feel like he’s fucking haunting me! I didn’t know who the guy was until we just saw his picture, but I swear, It’s the same guy!” I finished my frantic explanation and waited for his reply.

 

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” he laughed, disregarding my unnerved demeanor. “No, seriously, what the fuck is going on?”

 

“Ray, I’m not kidding. I’m being completely honest with you!” I knew how insane I sounded, and if the roles were reversed there was no way I would have believed him either. “I know it’s bizarre, but what reason would I have to lie to you about this?”

 

He took a few seconds before he responded, the smile slowly fading from his face as he began to realize that I was being genuine. “Do you think that maybe you might have seen a picture of him before and you just can’t get him off of your mind? He’s dead, Frank. He can’t be who you’re thinking of. It has to be someone else.”

 

I looked away from him, shaking my head in dismay. “I know it doesn’t make any sense, but I know who I saw, and he’s definitely the guy!”

 

Before Ray had a chance to reply, Bob and James walked out of the gallery, probably after noticing that Ray and I had bailed. Bob called over to us when he saw us down the street on the benches, “Guys, what the fuck? Were you gonna plan on telling us that you left?”

 

Ray didn’t bother to apologize. Instead, he casually spoke, “Frank isn’t feeling very well. I think he should go home.” I met Ray’s eyes with a perplexed stare and he simply nodded at me, silently asking me to go along with it. “I’m gonna take him home. Are you guys good here?”

 

“Yeah… not a problem. Feel better, man” James replied, heading back into the gallery with Bob.

 

I waited until they were inside before turning to Ray and asking, “I appreciate you covering for me, but why-”

  
  
“Let’s just get you home, dude. We can talk more about it there,” he stated without looking at me. This wasn’t a good sign. I probably just convinced him that I needed to be locked up in a white padded room, but at least he wasn’t dismissing me completely. Not yet anyway.

  
  
“Okay,” I quietly responded as we headed back to the car.

 

After a few minutes of sitting in awkward silence on the way home, I couldn’t take it anymore and I had to say something. I could tell that Ray was also a bit on edge because he was gripping the steering wheel abnormally tightly, not taking his eyes off of the road.

 

“Look, Ray, I’m sorry that I freaked out back there. I know how that must have sounded, and maybe I am crazy, but I’m not a liar. I know what I saw. You know me better than that.”

 

Ray briefly glanced over at me before saying, “I don’t think you’re crazy. I just think that you’re probably really stressed out and need to take a break.”

 

I sighed deeply in response. I knew that it was a long shot, and it was probably a mistake telling him, but I oddly felt better after being completely upfront with him. Ray only ever had good intentions, and regardless of how insane I may have sounded, I knew that eventually, he would come around.

  
  
“You’re probably right. I just… I don’t know what I need right now.”

  
  
“Well, now that last night’s show is over, you can have time to focus on other things. I know how much the band means to you, but if you’re seeing people who aren’t there, I really think that it’s time to take a step back and devote yourself to one thing at a time. I know that you’ve been trying to balance the band, school, work and whatever else, but you can’t do it all, Frank,” he commented sternly, a worried look etched on his face.

  
  
“The band means everything to me,” I insisted. “Yeah, I know that I’ve been falling behind on a few things, but I don’t think that has anything to do with my visions of this guy-”

 

“Oh, come on, Frank,” he turned his head to look at me, making his disbelief and frustration very apparent. “I know you better than that, you can’t just-”

 

“Ray, watch out!” I shouted at him after seeing a large mass rapidly approaching the front of the car. Ray snapped his attention back to the road and quickly swerved to the left to avoid what appeared to be a man standing in the middle of the road. My head slammed into the door as the car fishtailed before skidding off of the road and stopped in the shallow ditch past the shoulder.

 

“Oh my god! Frank, are you okay?” I could hear Ray’s muffled voice next to me as he placed a hand on my shoulder. A loud ringing was surging through my ears. I had bumped my head pretty good and I could feel a trickle of liquid fall down the side of my face. I wiped it away and looked down at my hand to see that it was blood. I opened up the visor to look in the mirror and saw that I had a gash directly above my eyebrow.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied weakly, still disoriented. “Just a small cut. Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, I’m okay,” he responded, breathing heavily. “Was that a guy in the standing in the road?”

 

“I don’t know... I think so. Fuck, did we hit him?” I began to panic as we both exited the car. We turned around and saw that there was, in fact, a man still standing in the road with his back turned towards us.

 

“Hey! Are you alright?” Ray shouted as we began walking towards him. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you!” The man remained unresponsive, still facing away from us as we walked closer. “Hey, can you hear me? Sir!” He continued to shout, as we got closer. When we were just a few yards away, the man turned around and I instantly came to a halt, holding my arm out in front of Ray, stopping him from walking any further.

 

The man standing in front of us was Gerard Way, dressed from head to toe in black with a vicious smile plastered across his face.

 

“Holy shit, Ray. Do you see him?” The terror in my voice was blatantly evident.

 

Ray stared at me in disbelief before responding, “Of course I see him. Are you kidding? That’s the guy I almost hit. Come on, we have to see if he’s okay.” He pushed my arm away as he continued walking towards the stranger.

 

“No, Ray, stop. Please, stop!” I attempted to pull him back, but he kept walking towards the man, dragging me with him. Ray was a lot stronger than I gave him credit for.

 

I finally let him go, frozen where I stood and watched in horror as he continued to walk towards the horrifying man. Ray was just a few feet in front of him when he spoke again, “Hey, listen I’m so sorry. That was completely my fault and I should have seen you. I was distracted-” he cut his sentence short when he finally was able to get a good look at the man in front of him.

 

While Ray was putting the pieces together in his mind, the man I now knew as Gerard smirked at him before his eyes darted towards me. He completely disregarded Ray’s presence and began walking in my direction. It was one of the most frightening moments of my life. Even from where I was standing, I could feel death radiating off of him. Coming towards me was my living, breathing nightmare.

 

I began to shuffle backward at a sad and pathetic attempt to escape, but I couldn’t just leave Ray there. This was real and it wasn’t just a hallucination this time. I couldn’t just close my eyes and make it all go away.

 

He was a mere few feet from me when he spoke. “Time’s up, Frank. You need to come with me. Now.”

 

“Fuck off!” I shouted, glancing from him to Ray, who was still standing dumbfounded in the street, still staring at the strange man.

 

“Frank,” he sighed, clearly out of patience, “Please don’t make this harder than it has to be. I’m done waiting.” He held out his hand to me, just as he had in my first dream asking me to go with him.

 

I could barely force myself to speak. My breath was caught in my throat and panic seemed to take over my entire body. “How the fuck are you doing this? I know who you are, Gerard, and I’m not going anywhere with you. You faked your own death, I’m calling the cops!”

 

He emitted a short burst of laughter as he replied, “Oh, Frank. You haven’t figured it out yet. I guess I don’t blame you, as I haven’t been entirely forthright, but not to worry, all will soon be explained now that I’m here. As I’ve told you before, you’re the only one who can do this, so I need you to do as I say and come with me.”

 

It seemed as though Ray had finally broken from his shock and finally registered the horrifying situation at hand. He started running back to us, shouting, “Hey, you need to back the fuck up, dude. No one’s going anywhere until we get this figured out.”

 

The Gerard imitator turned to him, obviously annoyed and snapped, “I’d keep your mouth shut if I were you, Mr. Toro. You do not want to test me. I will end your life and send you to an eternity of misery before you could fucking blink,” he finished as his eyes flashed with anger.

 

“Fuck you, asshole! What is your problem?!” Ray had caught up to us and as soon as he had reached him, Gerard rolled his eyes and stuck out his arm to place his hand on Ray’s forehead.

 

Before either of us could even register his actions, Gerard commanded, “Sleep.” Within a second, Ray fell to the pavement unconscious.

 

A panicked sound escaped my throat as I bent down to help Ray, but before I could reach him, I was being scooped up by insanely strong arms. “I’m getting really tired of this game. You’re coming with me whether you like it or not,” Gerard said as he tossed me over his shoulder.

 

“Get your fucking hands off of me!” I shouted, thrashing against him, which had absolutely no effect on him. “Let go of me, you son of a bitch! You can’t just leave him here! Put me down!” I may have been a short guy, but I was usually pretty strong for my size and he didn’t even stop to flinch as I threw punches at his back. He continued walking until he reached Ray’s car and he forced me into the passenger seat.

 

Gerard reached his arm around me and buckled me in, holding me back against the seat effortlessly. He shot a quick warning glance at me before saying, “Hold still,” and he breathed heavily on the buckle. I gasped, mesmerized in incredulity as the buckle melted together under his breath, concealing me to my seat, unable to move.

 

He smirked at my response before shutting the door and walking back to the road. I watched, dumbfounded as he effortlessly picked up Ray just as he had done with me before bringing him over to the car. He was much less graceful with Ray as he threw him into the back seat of the car, not bothering to secure him with a seat belt. My heart beat rapidly as he got into the driver's seat and started the car.

 

I was embarrassingly shaking violently in my seat, not able to bring myself to look at him as we started driving away. He turned to me and smiled wickedly before saying, “This is going to be fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, this chapter was a monster! I had to re-write so much of it because I just wasn't happy with it and I finally just had to let it go and post as is. Apologies if there are any typos or any errors. I tried to catch them all, but I just grew way too attached to the chapter and had to post before I started over again. I hope it's worth the read!


	5. The Change

 

I had no idea where we were headed. It was hard to concentrate on where we were even going. I was too preoccupied thinking about my inevitable death and quietly hyperventilating, having close to what I could only assume was a panic attack.

  
  
The Gerard imitator kept glancing at me as he continued driving at a steady speed down the road heading outside of town. I tried not to make eye contact, but that wasn’t helping me feel any less threatened.

  
  
He must have gotten bored of waiting for me to break the silence, so he spoke instead, “There’s no need for hysteria, Frank. If I wanted to kill you I would have done so already.” If that was supposed to be reassuring, his approach needed some work. “I know that you have a lot of questions, so you may as well just ask.”

 

“L-Look, man,” I stuttered, eradicating my plan to sound strong and confident. “I don’t know what kind of trouble you’re in, which I’m guessing is a lot since you went through the trouble of faking your own death, but I can’t help you. I don’t even know you, so you should really just stop whatever it is that you’re planning and let us go.” I spoke nervously, still unable to meet his eyes.

  
  
He chuckled lightly, clearly amused at my sad attempt at negotiating. “I didn’t fake my death. I was never alive to begin with, but I can assure you that the previous inhabitant of this body is not suffering. His demise was quite unfortunate, but it worked out well in my favor.”

  
  
I finally looked over at him, dumbfounded, to find him smirking arrogantly. He knew he had captured my curiosity. “You’re fucking crazy,” was all I could manage to say in response to his absurd explanation.

  
  
He turned his gaze back to the road, the corners of his mouth still slightly turned upward. “One thing you need to understand about me is that I will never lie to you. Despite my reputation for prevarication, I have been nothing but honest with you. I may leave out a detail or two in my descriptions, but trust me, it’s in your best interest at the moment.”

  
  
“Trust you?” I blurted out. “Are you even listening to yourself? You expect me to believe any of this horseshit? If you’re not Gerard then who the fuck are you?”

  
  
I was alarmed when instead of responding with a snarky comment, he immediately pulled the car over and stopped on the side of the road before turning to look me directly in the eye. He took a moment to inspect me, calculating my reaction, causing me to shift uncomfortably before he replied. “I’m the Devil, Frank.”

  
  
I stared blankly at him, waiting for him to get to the pun of the untimely attempt at humor. He paused for a moment, waiting for a proper reaction, before rolling his eyes and sighing with annoyance. “I understand that this might be difficult for your kind to understand, but you wanted to know who I am, and I’m telling you.”

  
  
I couldn’t form any sort of rebuttal. The only words that managed to escape my lips were, “The Devil?”

  
  
“Yes, Frank,” he sighed heavily again. “The Devil, Satan, Beelzebub, The Angel of Darkness, Mephistopheles, The King of Hell, etcetera. I have many names, but I am one entity. You may refer to me as ‘Lucifer’.”

  
  
I then did the most foolish thing that I could have done in that moment. I laughed. And not just a snicker. I laughed loudly and boisterously, on the brink of deranged insanity. The Gerard imitator initially looked taken aback by my outburst, but recovered quickly, and was not at all amused.

  
  
“You should show me some respect, Frank.” His eyes flashed with anger. “I have been very lenient with you, a display of kindness that I do not often spare. I am not a joke.”

  
  
I was no longer laughing outwardly, but I couldn’t manage to wipe the smile off of my face. Ignorantly, I replied sarcastically, “Okay, ‘Lucifer’, why don’t we get you to a nice, padded room where we can talk about your evil plans to destroy the world?”

  
  
Big mistake. The words barely escaped my lips before he pulled me forward by the collar of my jacket, forcing my face inches away from his. All traces of humor were eradicated when I saw his eyes blaze yellow and red before they were pitch black and filled with affliction. His once smooth, low voice turned rough and demonic as he hissed in my face with bared teeth, “Do. Not. Mock. Me.”

  
  
I choked back a fearful sob, not able to speak, my only response was to nod my head frantically to indicate that I understood and would take his threats seriously.

  
  
_Holy fuck. Holy fucking shit. The Devil. I was literally riding shotgun in a car with Satan. How the fuck was this even happening? Was I still dreaming? Did I die and go to hell and this was my eternal torment? In what fucked up world could this be real?_

  
  
Lost in my own inexplicable speculation, I was brought back to reality when he forcefully let go of my jacket and shoved me back into the passenger seat, knocking the breath out of me with the sheer force of his strength.

  
  
“Now,” he breathed calmly, his eyes and voice returning to normal as he brushed his hair back, which had become unkempt in his fit of rage, “I don’t like losing my temper, Frank. I’ll admit, I do enjoy a bit of defiance now and again, but do not presume that I will always be this kind towards you. I like you, but I have my limitations.”

  
  
He then started the car and skidded back onto the road, continuing our unsettling journey. A few minutes passed of stillness before he spoke again. “You’re right to fear me, but that does not mean that I do not want you to speak your mind. I know that when I’m upset my demeanor can be… alarming. It’s obvious that you have more questions and I will oblige in answering as many as I can. I’m a reasonable guy.”

  
  
Without thinking, I stammered impulsively, “You’re not a guy at all… you’re not even human.” I could hardly register the sound of my own voice. How was I even speaking, let alone arguing with him? I couldn’t fully comprehend what was happening to me in that moment. I was intentionally keeping this bizarre reality from settling in because if I had, I would have had a full-on panic attack and I would have lost every shred of sanity that I had left.

  
  
Lucifer let out a short puff of laughter at my quick response. “Technically, you are correct. I’m not, but while I’m inhabiting this body, I am, for all intents and purposes, human. How else would I know how to operate a vehicle? The mechanics are all here, just not the consciousness.”

  
  
“What do you mean by ‘mechanics’?” I asked, once again surprised at my own boldness. “You’re possessing a body?”

  
  
_Shut the fuck up, Frank! Why the fuck are you indulging him?! Stop fucking talking!_ I was shouting at myself in my head, but my thoughts weren’t reaching my lips.

 

I could see his eyes dart to his own reflection in the rearview mirror before hesitantly replying, “I suppose one could say that I’m borrowing it.”

  
  
I continued to stare, puzzled at his response. “You can just ‘borrow’ people’s bodies? What the fuck does that mean? Isn’t that what possession is?”

  
  
He gave me a warning glance for my abrasive response. I quickly looked away from him and focused on my lap, my hands wringing nervously with sweaty palms.

 

Pleased with my acquiescent demeanor, he continued explaining, “I cannot walk the Earth in my true form and I don’t have a human body of my own, therefore, I had to acquire this one. The body was freshly deceased and he had a look that I found to be… suitable for my needs.”

 

We were getting further from town now and I was getting more tense by the minute. I was contemplating what my current options were. This wasn’t just a regular kidnapping. Could you even outrun the Devil? I hadn’t even managed to succeed in escaping him for the past few days, let alone the rest of my life. Was there no other choice for me? I didn’t want to admit that I already knew that my only option was to follow his instructions. If it meant that Ray and I would make it out of this alive, the choice was already evident.

 

Indulging his request for conversation, I continued to appease him. “Okay, well what happened to the guy who’s body you’be taken? The artist, Gerard Way. He’s dead, right?”

 

He paused, not bothering to acknowledge my question. “Right?” I pressed again.

 

“Not entirely,” he finally answered, still staring intently at the road ahead.

 

“What?” I asked, suddenly genuinely interested. I couldn’t wrap my head around any of this. “You mean, he’s still in there with you? So you _are_ possessing him?” This was disturbing in so many ways.

 

“It’s been quite a few millennia since I have physically walked this Earth with a human body. ‘Possession’ is a term used for ghost stories that humans create for false entertainment. I told you before, the mechanics are here, but the soul is still somewhat intact as well. How I am inhabiting this body is not as simple as ‘possession’. It’s something much more, which I cannot explain to a creature with a limited capacity to understand celestial metaphysics.”

  
  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I stated plainly, gaping at him open-mouthed.

 

The corners of his mouth tugged upward slightly in amusement before replying, “Exactly.” I was so caught in up this conversation that I hardly noticed the car coming to a halt. “We’re here.”

 

I looked out the window to see the familiar Gothic-style church that I had seen yesterday when I went for my walk. I looked over at the street sign to confirm that we were, in fact, on Edgewater Avenue.

  
  
My sense of panic was growing stronger. All of my visions and nightmares had led up to this point and I was at a loss of options. “I-I still don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to do.” I stammered nervously. “You haven’t explained to me why you brought me here or why I’m apparently the only one who can help you. This is bullshit, and I refuse to have you push me around like I have no choice in the matter.” My sudden burst of courage may not have been the best choice.

 

He scowled at me with a challenging stare before he abruptly lifted his hand, frightening me and making me flinch. I closed my eyes, preparing for a strike, but was surprised when I realized he hadn’t hit me. I peered cautiously to see that he had instead reached down to the melted seat belt that kept me restrained and pulled it apart, breaking the plastic and metal into pieces like it was nothing.

 

“You _don’t_ have a choice in the matter,” he finally responded. I looked quizzically back and forth from him to the church, waiting for further explanation.

  
  
He seemed to have understood my unspoken question and replied, “When you enter the threshold, you must locate Matthias. Inform him that you are there to collect that of which has been stolen on behalf of the Seraphim. Do not take no for an answer, do you understand?” I nodded my head, barely registering his demands.

 

He then tilted his head and pursed his lips in thought. “You know, this doesn’t have to be as difficult as you’re making this out to be. I can be a friend to you, Frank.” The creature I now came to know as Lucifer rested his hand confidently on my thigh rubbing his thumb casually back and forth, making me quiver in what I had hoped was dismay. Something about the way he touched me reminded me of the dream I had the night before. My stomach lurched in nausea. I couldn’t tell if it was from fear or disgust. Maybe one in the same.

 

I groaned inwardly and looked away from him, not able to form a response. “Frank, look at me,” he insisted. I reluctantly met his eyes, which were filled with determination. “In time, you’ll understand why we were brought together. Meanwhile, I suggest that you start to appreciate my friendship and be grateful that you’re still alive. It also wouldn’t hurt to show a little gratitude for my cordiality. I can certainly think of a few ways for you to return the favor…” he trailed off, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

  
  
I grimaced, trying my best to disguise my aversion, but probably failing. What he seriously hitting on me? It was something that I couldn’t even fathom. Lucifer seemed to read my expression and finally removed his hand from my thigh, making me breathe out a sigh of relief until he spoke again. “Now, if you would kindly go in before my patience subsides and I take it out on your little friend in the back of this car, I would greatly appreciate it,” he said with false sweetness, gesturing towards Ray, still passed out in the back seat.

 

I knew that the only way out of this was to follow his instructions. There was nothing else I could do at that point. I was trying to calm my nerves as best I could as I got out of the car and walked towards the church. My legs were barely working and I was operating on autopilot as I got closer to the blood red door. I didn’t bother knocking as I reached it and pushed it open.

 

When I walked inside, I was immediately intimidated by the regal decorations that adorned the interior of the church. I felt so out of place. Churches made me nervous in general, never mind the fact that I was there to run an errand on behalf of the fucking Devil.

 

I was so captivated by the grandeur of it all that I didn’t even notice that I wasn’t alone in the large hall. “Can I help you?” a man suddenly spoke from behind me, making me jump. I turned to see a man staring at me intently, awaiting my response. He was a small, chubby man, probably somewhere in his early 60’s. He had a bald head and square glasses adorned his face with a long, red robe draped around him.

 

“Umm, hello,” I responded weakly, wringing my hands, anxiety coursing through me. “Are you by any chance, Mattias?”

 

He looked at me suspiciously as he answered, “Yes, I am. May I ask who you are?”

 

“My name is Frank… Frank Iero. I was told to find you because you’re supposed to have something for me. I mean, I’m here to collect the… uh… or… the Serphantime want an item… or something like that?” I was struggling to remember what Lucifer had said. Surely this man would think that I was crazy and kick me out after hearing my bizarre request.

  
  
He waited patiently, taking into consideration my apparent fear before responding tentatively, “I’m afraid that I’m not understanding your request.”

  
  
I sighed with tension, trying my best to remember Lucifer’s exact words. “I-I’m here to collect on behalf of the Seraphim. An item that’s been stolen.”

 

His eyes widened as I said it. There was a mix of emotion on his face. Confusion, shock, intrigue, before much to my surprise, he began to laugh. “This is who they send? You’re just a young man. Do you even know, or understand what it is that you’re here to collect?”

  
  
“No,” I simply replied. “To be honest I don’t care what it is. I just need to get it and give it to Luc-” I stopped short, not wanting to indulge further, which would only further prove my lunacy.

  
  
He stared at me skeptically, interest peaked. “Who is it exactly that sent you, Mr. Iero?”

 

“I-I’d rather not say…” I trailed off, sounding more anxious than I had wanted to.

  
  
I’m guessing that he could sense my fear because all humor had left his face. “If you’re here to collect what I think you are, you need to tell me who it is that sent you.”

  
  
I couldn’t bring myself to look at him as I spoke barely above a whisper, “Lucifer.”

  
  
I could hear him inhale quickly, but he did not respond immediately. After a few moments of silence, I finally looked up at him to see him staring at me in… pity? I couldn’t understand why he was looking at me like that.

  
  
“I knew he’d send someone eventually,” he finally spoke. “I didn’t expect it to be you, Mr. Iero. It’s unfortunate that he has chosen you to do his dirty work. I’m afraid he’s not going to be happy when he realizes that he sent you on a fool’s errand.”

  
  
“Wait… you believe me?”

  
  
“Yes, I do. I too have been in the presence of evil and know the look of desperation and despair upon your face. We don’t have what he sent you here to retrieve. It’s been moved to a place that is unknown to my knowledge. I’m sorry, but I cannot be of any further assistance to you.“

 

“Oh… thanks, I guess.” I should have pressed further, but I was honestly relieved that he didn’t have it. Whatever it was must have been important and if Lucifer was willing to go to great lengths to find it, then it couldn’t have meant anything good for humanity.

  
  
I turned around and began to leave when Matthias lightly grabbed my arm.

 

“Frank, I don’t think you understand the situation that you’re in. If Lucifer is truly walking the Earth than this could mean the end for all of us. Do not let his depravity consume you during this mission. He has powers that you can’t even imagine. He is not of this world and it is easy to fall prey to his requests.”

 

I shouldn’t have pressed further, but I was desperate for answers. “What else can you tell me about him? Why is he making me do this? What is it he’s looking for?”

 

“He sent you here because this church is hallowed ground and he cannot enter himself. Lucifer has been searching for this for thousands of years and if he’s gone through the trouble of contacting you, that means he’s closer to finding it now than he has ever been before. I’ll have to alert the others who are assigned to ensuring that he never finds what it is that he is looking for.”

 

I looked anxiously at him, waiting for him to continue. “As for you other questions, I am not the right person to answer them.”

 

“But you know what this is all about? You know why he chose me and is forcing me to do this?”

 

“I am not the one you should be seeking answers from,” he responded, again avoiding my question. “I will tell you this; you are more special than you think. You’re no ordinary man, Frank Iero. You’re meant for bigger things. Do not let Lucifer take advantage of you. Lucifer is very driven and he won’t stop until he finds what he’s looking for and has it in his possession.”

 

“Please, just tell me what’s going on. This can’t be real. I don’t understand what the hell is going on! What am I supposed to tell him when I leave?”

 

“I’m sorry to say this is real and you have a difficult journey ahead of you. You may tell him that it has been moved to a more discrete location and that if he continues to go down this path and to pursue this mission that it will not end well for him. I understand the position that this puts you in, Mr. Iero, but do not fear. You have more power over him than you think. Go now, and be safe.”

 

A surreal feeling washed over me as he escorted me to the door. What the fuck did any of that mean? What was I supposed to do with any of that information?

  
  
After being ushered outside and having the door shut loudly behind me, I started to snap out of my daze when I saw Lucifer still waiting for me in the car. Something was off about the way he was staring at me. He looked confused and worried, which was odd compared to his usual cocky and arrogant demeanor. Did he already know what I was going to tell him? My first instinct was to run away to avoid having that conversation with him, but I knew that it was pointless and I would never leave Ray behind.

 

I opened the door and sat in the passenger seat with a heavy sigh. My body was shaking as I started to relay what little information I had to him. “He said they don’t have it. It’s been moved.”

 

“What’s been moved?” Huh. He didn’t sound nearly as upset as I thought he would.

 

I shifted my eyes towards his confused face, irritated with his mind games. “What the hell do you think? The thing that you’ve been so obsessed with getting! The thing that you fucking took me for!”

 

He closed his eyes tightly and pressed his palm against his forehead. “Frank?” he finally asked weakly.

 

“Yes? What the hell is wrong with you, Lucifer?”

 

“I’m not Lucifer,” he said uneasily, meeting my eyes with a frightened gaze. “My name is Gerard Way.”


	6. Bring Me To Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: I'm updating from my phone during an impromptu trip to Canada because why not? I wanted to update though, so please excuse any typos or errors you find. I'll fix them when I get back from this ridiculous trip. 
> 
> Enjoy!

 

“My name is Gerard Way.”

 

I glared at him, not at all amused by his teasing. “Ha-ha,” I breathed sarcastically. “You’re very funny. Okay, ‘Gerard’, if that’s what you want me to call you... It’s not here, so I guess I’m done here and I can go now?”

 

Genuine confusion was etched in his face. “Frank… I know you, right?”

 

“What? No, not really. I mean, unless you’ve been stalking me longer than I’ve been aware of.” I was being facetious, but a part of me wondered if that were true.

 

The color started to drain from his face as he began shaking violently, looking away from me and focusing on his own reflection in the rearview mirror before he turned back to me in shock. “Please, I need your help. Something is seriously wrong. I-I’m not supposed to be here.” His voice became more frantic with each word that he spoke.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” I eyed him skeptically. “Did you not hear what I just said? It’s not here.”

 

“Listen to me!” he shouted abrasively, grabbing my arm tightly in desperation. “I’m… I’m awake! I’m Gerard Way, I’m not Lucifer!”

 

I cautiously placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while he continued to go into hysterics. I spoke softly to try and sooth his nerves, “Whoa, okay, calm down. Try to think, what do you remember about what happened to you?”

 

His gaze fell to the floor as he rummaged through his brain trying to recollect the last few moments of his life. “I remember noise. A lot of noise, cars maybe? There was a really loud sound compared to the rest of it and then pain was surging everywhere.” He paused, eyes tightening in the struggle to remember. “Oh god,” he gasped as the realization hit him. “I… I died. Frank,” he looked at me again, his eyes brimmed with sadness. “I’m supposed to be dead.”

 

He clutched his hair in between his hands and began rocking back and forth in a panicked manner, still intensely trembling, sobbing without tears.

 

I was baffled. How was I supposed to handle this situation? I continued to rub his shoulders lightly. “Gerard” I spoke very delicately, almost a whisper, “It’s going to be okay. It’s true... you died. From what I understand it was a hit and run car accident from some asshole who didn’t even stop to see if you were okay.” I paused, allowing him to take it all in. “Do you know what’s happened to you since then?”

 

His body briefly settled and as he looked up at me I could see the his eyes welling up from the traumatic memory, which he quickly wiped away with his hands. “It’s all a blur, I can’t really remember much. Just darkness and pain for the most part. There are flashes here and there. I remember seeing you a lot, but not knowing who you were. I feel so… hollow.” He clutched his chest while the hurt and confusion in his eyes poured into mine. “I can feel him inside me, Frank,” he said through clenched teeth. “He’s taken over my body and I don’t understand why. I can’t comprehend any of this.”

 

Removing my hand from his shoulder and sitting back with a sigh, I answered, “He said that your body ‘suited him best’. I don’t know why he chose you, Gerard. I’m in the same fucking boat. Apparently Lucifer doesn’t seem keen on explaining himself to anyone. I’m just as confused as you are.”

 

He took another moment to gather his thoughts as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. He emitted a small gasp when he saw Ray passed out in the back seat. “Who the fuck is that?”

 

I followed his gaze and replied, “My friend, Ray. He was unfortunate enough to get caught up in this mess too.”

 

Turning his attention back to me, he asked bluntly, “Why does Lucifer want you?”

 

“I really wish that I knew. He’s been following me for days now and only today decided to actually show up in person and told me that he’s looking for something that was taken from him. That’s the extent of my knowledge.”

 

He suddenly looked very worried. “It’s not safe here. We need to leave, now.” He pressed his palm to his forehead like before, indicating that he was sifting deeply through his thoughts, possibly bringing up painful memories. “I don’t know where we are, I just know that we shouldn’t be here.”

 

“Why? Did he say something?”

 

“No, it’s just… a feeling. I can’t explain it. Besides, I’m dead, remember? I need to figure out how the fuck I’m supposed to explain myself once people realize that I’m alive.”

 

I grimaced, remembering what little details that Lucifer had shared with me previously. “Gerard…” I spoke as delicately as possible. “I hate to tell you this, but I don’t think that you are. From what Lucifer said, he’s the only thing that’s keeping you alive. I don’t know how you’re both in there, but he made it clear that you’re situation is… temporary.”

 

He looked away from me briefly, swallowing thickly before he replied, “That doesn’t change the fact that we need to leave.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere!” I seethed. “Now that you’re back in control, you’re free to leave or do whatever you want, but I’m out! I did what he asked of me. The guy said that he didn’t have it, so that’s it, I’m done. I’m going back to campus and you can do whatever you want, but I’m no longer involved in whatever it is that he has planned.”

 

“You shouldn’t go back there, Frank,” he warned. “If you go back there, you’ll endanger everyone that you know. I don’t know if me being in control over my body is temporary or what, but Lucifer is… he’s drawn to you. It’s an inexplicable feeling.”

 

“You can feel what he feels? Are you awake the whole time?”

 

He gripped the wheel tightly before responding, “I can remember the feelings he has, but I can’t really feel them at the moment he’s having them. Sometimes I can, but not all the time and if I do, it’s very brief. If I concentrate hard enough, I can see what he sees and I can sort of read his thoughts and I think that he can also read mine. I think he underestimated how conscious I’d be. That’s the only explanation that I can think of.”

 

I sat back into the seat and sighed, contemplating on what my next move was going to be. I still couldn’t believe that this was happening. I wanted to go home, but he was right about my friends. After that dream I had about Lucifer ripping out Ray’s throat, I wouldn’t put it past him to do something like that for real to ensure that I remained by his side. I didn’t want to take the chance.

 

“Okay, fine. You’re right. I can’t stay there, but we’re taking Ray back to the apartment. He shouldn’t have been involved in this in the first place. We’ll figure out where to go from there. Sound good?”

 

He nodded solemnly and started the car. Other than my instruction on how to get back to campus, no other words passed between us. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was unsettling how just a few minutes ago the man beside me was radiating death and affliction, causing me to despise him with every fiber of my being, and now the man sitting next to me was no more than a regular frightened guy. He wanted out of this situation just as badly as I did. He didn’t ask for any of this to happen either.

 

When we got back to the apartment, Gerard and I lifted Ray out of the back of the car and carefully hauled him up to the apartment. I took a couple of minutes to grab a few things and to leave a note for Ray. I told him that I was sick to the point of hallucinating and I think he had the same illness, which was a pathetic cover for what happened to us today, but I didn’t have time to come up with a better explanation. I told him that I was going to take a few days off to deal with stress and go visit some family nearby. That would have to be enough.

 

I found Gerard leaning against the car waiting for me when I got outside. “We’ll take my car, we’re not going to take Ray’s. He’d kill me… and then bring me back to life to kill me again for good measure.” He nodded and walked with me to my car and got in the passenger seat without any comment. It was then I realized that he didn’t have a bag with him. “Umm, it doesn’t look like you have any spare clothes or anything, so if you want we can stop at a store?”

 

“What day is it?” he asked, more straightforward than I expected.

 

“It’s April 21st.”

 

“That means that I’ve only been gone for about a week. If we hurry, we can stop at my place and I can grab some things.”

 

“How do you know that any of your stuff is still there? And if it is, won’t someone notice if you ransacked your own place or freak out when they realize that things have gone missing?”

 

“The only person I’d have to worry about is my brother, and if I know him well enough, he hasn’t packed up anything yet. Fuck, he must be a wreck,” he breathed unevenly, lost in his own grief.

 

“Yeah, okay, we can stop by, but I don’t think that you should go in. Just tell me what you need and I’ll run in and grab your things for you. I really don’t want to have to explain to people that _The Walking Dead_ is an actual thing.”

 

“Got it,” he agreed.

 

We made our way over to his place, which was about 20 miles from campus. It was a really nice looking apartment complex, which I guess indicated that he was doing pretty well for himself as a successful artist. Gerard gave me a list of clothes and items that he wanted and where to find them. He waited in the car while I walked up to his door and found the spare key hidden in the lamp post outside of his door where he said that it would be.

 

His apartment was beautiful. The first room I walked into was a very large open space with grandiose windows that filled the apartment with light. There were no doors, only open walkways that led into a kitchen on the left, and a bedroom on the right. The place was a mess though. I didn’t know if it was a result of his usual living habits or if it had been rummaged through after his death.

 

A large easel caught my eye in the far corner of the room, overlooking the garden outside of the nearest window and I walked over to inspect it further. It was a swirl of colors surrounding what appeared to be a spider of some sort. I was so engrossed in the beauty of it that I didn’t even notice that someone was standing behind me.

 

“Who the fuck are you?”

 

I outwardly yelped and felt like I had jumped out of my own skin. I turned around quickly to see a tall, thin man with dirty blonde hair and flushed red eyes as if he had been crying.

 

Panicking, I struggled with forming words to explain myself. “Uhh.. hey, I’m Frank.”

 

_Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck!_

 

“Okay, ‘Frank’, what the hell are you doing here?”

 

I had to think fast. Being as vague as possible was probably my best bet. I tried to sound confident as I fabricated a story, “I’m a friend of Gerard’s. I left a few of my things here and I wanted to come by and grab them.”

 

He squinted his eyes at my lie, clearly not buying it. “I’ve never heard of you.” he stated plainly.

 

“We didn’t know each other very long. You must be his brother,” I remembered Gerard briefly mentioning him before, now noticing the similar facial features that they shared.

 

“Mikey,” he extended his hand hesitantly, to which I shook firmly. “For someone who didn’t know Gerard for very long, you seem to have been acquainted with him well enough to know where the spare key is and to have left your things here,” he commented, eyeing me suspiciously.

 

“Umm… yeah…” I trailed off, starting to become even more unnerved, losing my ability to conjure up another false explanation.

 

Luckily, I didn’t get the chance before he started speaking again. “It’s okay, I get it. Gerard never really liked to talk about his relationships, it’s cool.”

 

  
“Huh? Wait, I’m not…” I decided to play off of his assumption since it would significantly help my case. “Yeah, I mean, it all happened pretty quickly. He was a great guy, I’m really sorry for your loss.”

 

“Thanks,” he looked away, clearly not wanting to discuss the subject further. “Listen, I’m just going through some stuff, but I’ll step out for a bit so that you can grab your things. I don’t know how close you were, but if you want anything of his, you know, you can take something.”

 

“Are you the only one going through his things?” I asked, hopefully not getting too personal.

 

“Yeah. It was just the two of us, we don’t really have any other family nearby, so I’ve had to go through it when I can. It’s been difficult to say the least, and in case you didn’t notice, my brother was a bit of a hoarder.”

 

I smiled in response, not wanting to let onto the fact that I actually hardly knew his brother at all. “Cool, thanks, man. I’ll be out of here soon, sorry to interrupt.”

 

He stepped into the kitchen, packing up glasses wrapped in newspaper as I headed towards the bedroom, hoping that he didn’t notice that the only things I was grabbing belonged to Gerard.

 

In record time, I packed up his requested items and headed for the door. Before I left, I stepped in the doorway of the kitchen to see Mikey leaning with his back up against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his slim torso, staring out of the window, his forehead wrinkled with pensive thoughts. “Hey, man, thanks for letting me stop by. I appreciate it.”

 

He snapped out of his daze, eyes brimmed with tears as he turned his attention towards me. “Yeah, it’s no problem. It’s nice to meet you, Frank. I didn’t really get to meet Gee’s friends very often. He was kind of a recluse, you know? He used to tell me, ‘That’s the price you pay for art.’ I used to think that it was just an excuse to avoid people, but now that he’s gone, I see how truly dedicated he was to his art. I’m glad that I still at least have that part of him.”

 

I didn’t know how to respond to that. I barely knew the guy, and here was his brother standing before me, all he had in the world from what it seems, and I felt awful for not being able to console him in any way. “Yeah, Gerard was incredibly talented. I’m happy that you can always have that piece of him.” I had to stop myself before I said something I would regret. “Thanks, and again, I’m sorry for your loss.”

 

He nodded his head somberly and shook my hand in silence before I all but ran out the door.

 

When I got back to the car, I tossed Gerard’s bag in the back and threw myself into the driver’s seat. “Get down,” I ordered.

 

“What?” he asked, confused at my sudden assertiveness.

 

“Get. Down. Your brother is here.”

 

Instead of hiding, Gerard looked up towards the apartment, a hopeful expression on his face. “Gerard! I know you’re probably worried about him, but seriously, what do you think it’s going to do to him if he sees you?”

 

“Yeah, I get it,” he snapped, clearly agitated, but eventually sat back as I had requested. He sighed heavily before speaking again. “I’m just worried about him. You spoke with him?”

 

“Yeah,” I said, throwing the car into reverse, anxious to get out of there. “He’s sad, obviously, but he seems to be functioning as best he can.”

 

“Okay…” he trailed off, thankfully not pressing further. It probably hurt him too much to think about, so he quickly changed the subject. “So, where are we going?”

 

“I figured we could just start driving east, as far away from California as we can, since apparently that’s where he wants us to be. The farther he is away from our family and friends, the better.”

 

“Agreed,” he stated plainly. “I hear that the midwest is lovely this time of year. Chicago?”

 

“Chicago sounds great,” I replied with a smile, trying to make light of our situation. “We’re on our way, Bonnie," I teased.

 

“Whoa, if anyone is Bonnie, it’s you. I’m Clyde” he laughed. He actually had a really nice laugh. It was very genuine and giddy.

 

“Whatever you say, Clyde,” I replied, putting my sunglasses on and driving towards the highway.

 

We took the time to get to know one another as we drove. He told me about how he and his brother were raised in New Jersey but how they eventually moved to California for a change of scenery. They had always been very close, even sharing a room with each other until they moved out of their childhood home. It was ironic because I too was from Jersey and I had moved to LA to pursue music.

 

He told me about his art and what his plans for his future were… or what they would have been. I divulged about the horrible dreams I had about Lucier, alluring to his appearance as well as all of the shit that he had pulled before Gerard took over. Gerard said that he remembered seeing flashes of it, but not enough to put the pieces together, but he claims that this is the first time he had been able to break through Lucifer’s hold on him.

 

It was getting late and we had just passed the border in Arizona before I started feeling drowsy. “Does a Motel 6 sound okay to you?” I asked as we started to near an exit.

 

“Yeah, that’s fine,” he yawned, stretching out his arms, also clearly tired.

 

We parked in front of the motel and grabbed our bags before heading inside, eager to get some rest. It had been a really long day and I can only imagine how exhausting it is to have your body possessed, or whatever Lucifer claims he was doing since ‘possessing’ was beneath him. We walked to the front desk where a friendly-looking woman was waiting to greet us. “Welcome to Motel 6! How may I help you this evening?”

 

“Hey,” I greeted in return. “Umm,” I turned to Gerard awkwardly. “Should we get separate rooms?”

 

“We can, if it makes you more comfortable,” he replied straightforwardly.

 

“No, uhh, it’s not that, I just… I didn’t know if you wanted privacy. It would probably be cheaper just to get one room.”

 

“That makes sense. I’m fine with getting one room,” he concluded. “I’m sorry, I would pitch in, but I must have left my wallet back in my coffin,” he chuckled darkly at his own morbid joke. I had to wonder if he was even buried at all as I pulled out my own wallet and requested one double bedded room for the night.

 

We made our way to the room and Gerard waited hesitantly as I unlocked the door with the keycard. It was a decent room, as decent as a cheap motel can be. I set my bag on the floor and fell back onto the closest bed, grateful for it’s comfort. I shut my eyes for a minute and when I opened them Gerard was at the foot of the bed watching me in fascination.

 

“What?” I asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

 

He quickly averted his eyes. “Nothing, sorry. It’s just... you’re very strange.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Not in a bad way,” he corrected. “You’re taking this whole situation really well. If Satan were after me, I’d be scared shitless. And after all of the shit that Lucifer has pulled, I’d be pissed off as fuck. You don’t really seem to be bothered at all.”

 

“You’re taking things pretty well considering Lucifer has made you his bitch.” I retorted, teasingly.

 

He was trying not to smile, but I could see the corners of his mouth lift slightly.

 

“I don’t know,” I continued. “I’m actually a nervous mess. I’m still not entirely convinced that this isn't just another bad dream. If you were in my head, you’d know how scared I am, and how unsettling this whole situation is. It’s easier dealing with you than Lucifer, though. You don’t make me feel as scared, even knowing that he’s somewhere in there. I’m just waiting until my alarm goes off and I wake up, safe in my bed knowing that all of this was just a nightmare.”

 

“I’m waiting for that too,” he said, turning away from me. “I don’t feel like myself anymore. I supposed that’s to be expected, but it’s more than just feeling less than ‘alive’. It’s almost as if my life isn’t connected to me anymore. It’s as if I don’t feel the same way I did about people and things when I was alive.”

 

“What do you mean? You don’t miss your family?”

 

“Oh god, I do. I wish I could go home right now and tell Mikey that this was all just a ruse and that I’m still here, but I can’t. I couldn’t fuck with his mind like that. Also, I don’t know how long Lucifer plans on keeping me here. What if I show up in his life again, and he decides that he’s done with me and I’m gone for good? I couldn’t do that to him- I won’t.”

 

It was obvious how dejected and emotionally exhausted he was. I couldn't think of anything to say to ease his mind, so I just grinned in reassurance, waiting for him to continue. “This feeling I have is like I feel detached from everyone in my life, though. It’s like I still have the same feelings for them that I did when I was living, but now I have new feelings towards them, like Mikey and my friends are complete strangers. As if I’m seeing them through someone else’s perspective, which I’m guessing is Lucifer’s but I don’t know for sure. It’s hard to explain,” he sighed in frustration.

 

“It’s alright. I can’t say that I relate, but I can understand. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. I’m really sorry.”

 

He gave me as much of a smile as he could muster before walking towards the bathroom. “I’m gonna get changed. I’ll just be a minute,” he stated, ending the conversation.

 

“I’ll probably be passed out by the time you’re done,” I commented before he shut the door behind him.

 

I continued to stare at the ceiling for a few seconds, going over the day’s unbelievable events. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was until I closed my eyes and dozed off to sleep within only a few seconds. 

 

* * *

 

I was having the most incredible sensation. Inexplicable pleasure was radiating throughout my body and I wanted it to last forever. I was seeing swirls of color all around, not at all comprehending what was happening to me. It was like hot molten fire creeping along every single nerve in my body, building up a delicious tension that needed to come undone.

 

Slowly the colors started to slip away and I fell into darkness. The sensation was still present and I emitted a low groan as my world started to come into focus. Before long, I realized that I was laying in a horizontal position, stirring around on a soft surface.

 

Confused, I took a deep breath and opened my eyes, slowly starting to regain consciousness. I remember now, I had fallen asleep on a bed, but this bed wasn't my own. I started to look around my dark surroundings before being pulled back into the present by another wave of intense pleasure focused on my groin. I threw my head back into the pillow and moaned loudly into the air. “O-oh my god,” I whined breathlessly.

 

I forced myself to lift my head up to see where the euphoric feeling was coming from. In the darkness, I could see a silhouette raised underneath the blanket directly above my throbbing arousal. It was bobbing up and down slowly, in sync with the intense bliss that I was feeling.

 

“What-” I started to say before I felt teeth graze the underside of my cock, slowly dragging it upward to my sensitive head before sucking on it aggressively, tongue digging into my slit, licking away all of the built-up pre-cum. I threw my head back again and shamelessly moaned loudly, lost in the feeling.

 

Wait… something wasn’t right. How did I get here? What happened last night? The last thing I could remember was Gerard and I stopping at a hotel to rest for the night and…. Oh. Fuck.

 

I jolted awake, immediately reaching for the lamp on the bedside table and switching it on before throwing the blankets off of me, revealing a lust-driven Gerard with his lips still wrapped around my length.

 

“What the fuck!” I shouted, pushing him off of me and crawling back towards the head of the bed. “What the hell are you doing?!”

 

He chuckled darkly, wiping the pre-cum and saliva off of his mouth with the back of his hand. “Calm down, Frank. You seemed distressed yesterday, so I thought I would help you relax.”

 

“That’s not... why would... what?!” I couldn’t even think straight. I had basically just been assaulted by a dead guy. Oh fuck, was I a necrophiliac?!

 

He licked his lips deliberately slowly, shamefully making my still-hard cock twitch in response. “There's no need to get so upset. You were enjoying yourself, and I must say, I wasn’t having a bad time either,” he said with a wink.

 

“Gerard… what the fuck makes you think that this is okay?” I was in hysterics, still pressed up against the wall at the head of the bed, attempting without success to cover up my obvious erection.

 

His eyes darted from my horrified face to my aching cock before his lips peeled back into a sinister smile and it was then I realized that I wasn’t dealing with Gerard anymore. “...Lucifer?”

 

“Miss me, Frank?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback is appreciated!


	7. Taking Over Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaaaaat? Two chapters within a week?! I was inspired so I had to get it all out while I had the drive. 
> 
> This was a bitch to write, but worth every moment. I'm really happy with how this turned out. 
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

 

  
  
I was dumbfounded and speechless. I continued to glare at him, still dazed and breathing heavily from the unexpected shock while he stared back at me smugly.

  
  
“You know, I can finish taking care of that for you,” he gestured towards my strained dick.

  
  
“Don’t _fucking_ touch me,” I seethed.

  
  
“I don’t really need your permission, Frank” I was caught off guard by the comment, trying to understand what he meant before, unexpectedly, a powerful sensation was surging through me, making me gasp out in surprise and absolute euphoric bliss. I dropped from my defensive position against the headboard and involuntarily sunk down onto the soft sheets beneath me.

  
  
“S-stop,” I pleaded between my cries of pleasure as I was immobilized on the bed. “W-whatever you’re doing, p-please stop.”

 

He hummed happily at my response to his overwhelming influence. “Shh, just relax, Frank,” he cooed, making me want to agree to his every command.

 

I vaguely felt a tugging at my legs, dragging me from the top of the bed towards the bottom where Lucifer was kneeling. “That’s it,” I heard him softly mutter before I felt fingers trailing up my legs and thighs. I was still paralyzed with ecstasy, struggling to comprehend anything other than how good this felt.  

  
  
I became even more unnerved as I felt him hover over me, leaning close to my face. “You’re mine,” he whispered in my ear before I felt a hot, wet sensation leaving a trail on the side of my face. He had dragged his tongue along my cheek before nibbling on my ear. “Tell me that you’re mine, Frank.”

  
  
“Go… fuck… yourself,” I breathed assertively, proud of the fact that I was even able to form words.

  
  
His breathy laugh echoed in my ear as his hands made their way to my needy, leaking dick.

  
  
I moan shamefully, unable to physically bring myself to struggle and mortified at how effortless this was for him. “Cum for me, Frank. Cum for your master.”

 

I fought as hard as I could, but I couldn’t hold out any longer. The tightened coil came undone like a crashing wave as I spilled myself heavily into his hands, crying out in euphoria and shame as the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had flooded through me. “Good boy,” I vaguely heard him speak as he smiled against my cheek before kissing it tenderly.

  
  
My body was quivering with the aftershock that seemed to last forever. I continued to lay motionless as he slowly brought his hand up to his lips, taking his time licking my seed off of every digit before unexpectedly leaning down to engulf my length to lap up the remaining amount, making me choke on my breath from the stimulation.

  
  
I couldn’t speak. I was ashamed that I so easily surrendered to his control. I tried to tell myself that whatever power he was yielding made me incapable of fighting, but I knew better. The pleasure was too overwhelming and I gave in way too easily.

  
  
He lay next to me on the bed, propping his head on his elbow, smirking with devious satisfaction. “I hope that was as good for you as it was for me,” he teased.

  
  
“Why?” was all I could bring myself to ask, searching his eyes, which were filled with nefarious intent.

  
  
“I told you, Frank. You’re mine, whether you like it or not. No matter how hard you try to fight this, I will win, and you will always succumb to me and my demands.”

  
  
“No,” I replied, becoming more upset with each passing minute. His eyes widened at my response. “I am _not_ yours, Lucifer. You can terrorize me all you want but if you seriously think that you have some sort of claim over me, fuck you, you don’t.”

  
  
His gaze became deadpan as I waited for him to respond. When he finally did, I wasn’t expecting his answer. “Wake up, Frank.”

  
  
“What?”

 

His expression remained the same as he urged once more, “Wake. Up.” To add to my confusion, his face started to blur and the walls around the room started to melt away.

 

I barely managed a shout of surprise before I fell into blackness.

 

* * *

 

  
My eyes shot open as soon as I violently hit the floor, twisting around in my sheets. I froze when I realized what was happening. It was just a dream. I quickly untangled myself from the sweat-drenched sheets as the dream played back in my head. I was disgusted with myself and I could feel bile rising up in my throat at the memory of it. The thought of him touching me in such ways was revolting.

 

I got up from the floor and it was then I noticed that my boxers were damp to the touch. “Fuck,” I mumbled under my breath when I realized that they were drenched with cum. I hadn’t had a wet dream since I was a teenager and the fact that it was about Lucifer, my _captor,_  made it that much worse.

 

I hardly got a chance to register anything more before I heard a voice coming from the bed next to mine. “Good morning, sunshine,” I looked over to see Gerard laying across the bed, his head propped up on his elbow, watching me intently with a wide grin. “Seems like you had one _hell_ of a night. Anything you want to share?”

 

I examined him closely, trying to determine which of the two were currently in control. “Gerard?”

  
  
“Guess again,” he winked.

  
  
“Lucifer… where’s Gerard?”

  
  
“That’s really not your concern” he commented, sitting up on the bed. “And you may want to get yourself cleaned up. We have important matters to discuss.” His eyes darted to the damp spot on my crotch before meeting my eyes again with a smirk.

  
  
I felt my face go red as I hastily covered my lower half. “Umm… I’m gonna go shower,” I muttered as I grabbed my bag and headed toward the bathroom.

  
  
“Do hurry,” was all I heard him utter before I quickly shut the door behind me and peeled off my sticky shorts, still disgusted with myself. I washed them off with soap and water in the sink before getting into the shower, sighing with relief as the hot water poured over me.

  
  
Much to my dismay, images of the dream were starting to creep into my mind. What made it even worse was that I was starting to harden at the memory. I quickly pushed the images out of my head, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of having that sort of influence over me. I couldn’t understand why in the hell I would even conjure up such a fantasy.

 

It was then that I began to question whether or not he was intentionally putting those images in my head. Did he even have that capability? I almost preferred that to the thought of my own subconscious creating that scenario on its own because that would mean that those were my own thoughts and desires, which made absolutely no sense at all since I was appalled at the very thought of it.

  
  
I finished showering and changed clothes before stepping back into the room where I was greeted with a giddy Devil, extending his arm to hand me a cup of coffee. “Err... thanks,” I said, taking the cup and sniffing the contents.

  
  
Lucifer rolled his eyes at my hesitance, “It’s just coffee, Frank. I don’t need to drug you to make you compliant. You’ll do as I say without any other form of persuasion.

  
  
“I was checking for poison,” I corrected him, narrowing my eyes. “And you’re not the boss of me. I’m here by choice.”

  
  
“Poison?” he questioned, insulted by the accusation. “If I wanted you dead there are a vast number of ways I would go about it before poisoning you. Besides, I need you alive… for now- and you may think that you’re here of your own volition, but we both know better, so why don’t we get to it and discuss yesterday’s events?”

  
  
I took a small sip of the coffee, basking in the warm sensation rushing down my throat before sitting on the bed, facing him as he continued standing, his eager eyes blazing. “Did you even sleep?” I asked.

 

“I don’t sleep. Given the fact that this body is no longer living or functioning like a normal human body, it doesn’t need sleep either. Now, enough questions. I need to know why don’t you have what I sent you to the church for.”

 

Sighing heavily, I started to explain. “Matthias only said that the thing you were looking for has been moved and he doesn’t know where it was moved to. It wasn’t at the church.” His eyes poured into mine, waiting for me to continue.

 

When I didn’t have anything else to add, he asked with a disapproving gaze, “Did you obtain _any_ useful information?”

 

“No,” I quickly lied.

 

I was able to be around him for the first time without trembling in fear, probably because I knew that Gerard was still in there somewhere. However, the lack of his threatening presence was rapidly fading and was immediately replaced with looming intimidation, his eyes filling with indignation.

 

“Are you sure about that?” His eyes were getting harder to keep contact with. My blood was turning to ice, as his once hazel orbs blazed with anger. “Don’t bother lying to me, Frank. I created lies, I know how to determine when someone is trying to deceive me.”

 

Clearly, there was no point in trying to play dumb. Giving in, I stammered nervously, “I-I asked him if he knew about why you’re here and what you’re looking for.”

 

“Is that all?” he asked, walking closer to where I was sitting on the bed, making me shift uncomfortably.

 

“Uh,” It was getting more and more difficult to concentrate the closer he got to me. “I asked him if he knew why I’m the one you chose to help you. Why I’m the one whose life you ruined just so you can go on a stupid chase for some random fucking object that you don’t even-…” I couldn’t bring myself to continue. The little amount of courage I had built up as I was talking, fueled by irritation and resentment, was diminished as his eyes grew wide with outright rage, suddenly glowing red and yellow.

 

He was directly in front of me now, leaning down so that his face was inches from mine. I started to lean back as he extended his right hand to grab my face harshly, digging his fingers and thumb into my cheeks. “If you have something to ask me,” he spoke dangerously low, his voice laced with malice, “you ask _me_. You don’t ask anyone else. Do you understand me, Frank?”

 

I started to nod before I became overwhelmed with fury. How dare he? I could feel my temper rising as I pried his hand away from my face before I shouted, “I don’t fucking think so!” He stepped back a couple of steps, clearly taken aback by my response, which pleased me.

  
  
The irritation and confusion that had been building up over the course of the last few days were starting to spill out of me, and I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t want to. I started raising my voice to the point of shouting, “I’m so fucking tired of this! I had a life! I dropped everything because you threatened to kill everyone I loved and you expect me to just accept that without any fucking explanation whatsoever?! Every time I try to ask you questions, you never give me a straight answer! You can’t just expect me to follow you around and just do as I’m told! If you don’t want me turning to other people for answers, then you need to be the one to give them to me!”

 

I expected him to hurt me. I expected him to scream back at me or threaten more of my family and friends. What I didn’t expect was for him to purse his lips, smile and say, “Fine. Ask me.”

  
  
“What?” I faltered, only then realizing how heavily I was breathing from my emotional outburst.

  
  
“I won’t say it again. Ask me your questions, Frank. I will answer them now so that we can move on and continue our journey without further interruption.”

 

I scoffed at his offer. “You’re incapable of giving straight answers.” He rolled his eyes in response.

  
  
“This is your one chance to get the answers that you clearly so desperately need. Don’t waste this opportunity with your ungrateful attitude,” he warned.

  
  
“Will you really answer them? In detail?” He raised his hand and beckoned his fingers forward, motioning for me to continue with an almost bored expression on his face.

 

I hesitated, inspecting him with distrust before I spoke. “Fine. First of all, what’s the deal with you and Gerard? Where were you yesterday after I got out of the church?”

 

“I was there, still present inside of him. Gerard has a very… tenacious spirit and I didn’t count on him being so attached to his earthly body. My powers are limited when I am here on Earth and taking over his body drains my energy, so at that moment, his spirit was stronger than my essence. I’ll admit, it’s not the ideal situation, but I need this body, so I guess we’re both going to have to give and take until I am through here.”

  
  
A plan started to form in my mind about how I could possibly use that information to my advantage before Lucifer interrupted my thoughts. “Don’t get any ideas, Frank,” he warned. “Just because taking over a human vessel weakens me doesn’t mean that I still can’t overpower you with a snap of my fingers”

 

Ignoring his last comment, I continued asking about Gerard. “So he’s not dead?”

 

“Not fully, no. Not yet, anyway. His spirit is obviously present and waiting to descend into purgatory where he will be judged accordingly and sent to Heaven or Hell.”

 

“So how did you pull this off? Did you just walk out of his grave? Wouldn’t he have deteriorated?” The questions started to pour out now. I wanted to get as many answers as I could before Lucifer became bored of reasoning with me and wanted to move on.

 

“He died and was buried, where yes, of course, he deteriorated, even in the few days that he was deceased without my presence. I then inserted myself into his body, which was still in the grave. I brought the body back to its original, healthy and presentable form and had assistance getting out.” He sneered at my confused and disbelieving expression. “Even now you underestimate my abilities? I suppose that’s my fault for keeping them somewhat at bay during our short time together, but you’ll soon discover that I am a force to be reckoned with.”

  
  
“For someone who has inexplicable powers, don’t you think it’s kind of pathetic that you can’t even find this thing that you’ve been trying to find for _thousands_ of years?” I said smugly.

  
  
His eyes once again flashed fiery red and yellow before turning pitch black as they had done before, indicating a vicious rage. “Mind your tongue, Frank.”

  
  
I swallowed thickly, struggling to hold his gaze until his eyes returned to their normal hazel color, still blazing.

  
  
“Umm,” I began, trying to change the topic, subtly trembling under his gaze, “You said that you had help getting out of the grave? Who helped you?”

 

Closing his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath and stretching his neck back and forth to calm himself after his temper flare, he replied straightforwardly, “I can influence people to do my bidding. Do you recall when I put your little friend to sleep yesterday when I first obtained you? That’s one example. Before I obtained this body, I influenced the staff of the cemetery to start exhuming the grave and retrieve me from the coffin. They were none the wiser. I had visited them in their subconscious, similar to how you and I first became acquainted.”

 

“Well if that’s the case, why didn’t you just ‘influence’ me rather than go through all of the trouble to try and convince me to do what you want?”

 

He paused before answering, searching my face before smirking slightly. “I enjoy your uncooperative behavior. It’s entertaining. It wouldn’t be any fun if you were just a mindless follower. Where’s the adventure?” I scoffed at his response, making him chuckle lightly before regaining his businesslike composure. “Though you have a habit of being disrespectful, which we will need to work on.”

 

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “So, again, why have you chosen me to help you? Out of the billions of people on this planet, some who literally worship you and would do whatever you asked without hesitation, why _me_?”

 

“You’re special,” he answered simply. “You’re not a typical human being and there are several reasons why I chose you. First of all, your lineage is crucial. You’re fantastic leverage considering who your ancestors are.”

 

“Who are my-”

 

“Secondly,” he cut me off, “You’re not devout to any particular religion, which makes this much easier for me. The less you understand your purpose, the better.” I looked at him skeptically. “Lastly, I was drawn to you and decided to act on those desires. Nothing is a coincidence. Just accept that, and this will go much more smoothly for the both of us.”

 

“That still doesn’t answer my question fully,” I stated, dissatisfied. “If anything, I’m even more confused now than I was before.”

 

“Well, that’s all I’m willing to give you at the moment, and you should be grateful that I was willing to provide you with any information at all.”

 

Annoyed at his arrogance, I looked towards the door and back into his blazing eyes, which were searching my face carefully. “You know, I could just walk out right now. I could go home and just forget about all of this. You can show up in my dreams all you want, but you’re not unavoidable.”

 

He grinned, showing off his imperfect teeth, clearly amused. “Frank, I will follow you to the ends of the earth. It’s not just your dreams that I can appear in now. I have a physical body with which I can still execute my powers. I will quite literally make your life a living hell and do not think for a second that I am above going through the ones you love to get to you. Your misunderstanding of the situation you’re in is woefully comical.” I glared at him, wanting nothing more than to lash out and tell him what I really thought of him, but I knew that’s what he was waiting for. He raised his eyebrows, challenging me to respond with acerbity. When I didn’t, he smirked and continued, “Besides, there’s a reward for you when this is over.”

 

“I don’t want anything from you,” I spat.

 

“Oh, you’ll want this,” he insisted smoothly.

 

“You’re wrong. I would never accept anything from you.”

 

He emitted a short burst of laughter at my retort, “We’ll see about that.” My chest tightened at the thought of whatever it is that he had in mind.

 

“Okay then,” he clapped his hands, rubbing them together eagerly. “Enough questions. You require sustenance, yes? They’re serving a questionable cuisine downstairs, but I’m sure that it will suffice to your standards,” he gave me a judgemental look.

  
  
“My standards?” I asked, relinquishing to the fact that I would just have to keep prying at a later time. Clearly, he had gotten bored and was ready to go.

 

“By which, of course, I mean that you do not particularly have any when it comes to ingestible substance.”

  
  
I gawked at him, confused. “Nourishment,” he corrected. Upon seeing my continued baffled expression, he narrowed his eyes at me and stated, “Food, Frank. You eat like you’re a vagabond who has never experienced a proper meal. You really should have more care.”

 

I looked at him skeptically and said, “Seriously? You’re upset about what it is that I eat?”

  
  
“I’m simply indicating that you should acquire more suitable tastes. We’re in a rush so I do not have time to educate you on proper nourishment, but I need you to take care of yourself. Going forward, you will respect your earthly body and heed what enters it.”

  
  
I scoffed. “I’m good, thanks. I’ll take a cheap, greasy cheeseburger and stale fries over whatever it is that you’re thinking of any day.”

  
  
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a smile at my response, but he didn’t press any further. Instead, he beckoned for me to get up as he was clearly ready to leave. Once I stood up from the bed, he held out his arm for me to take as if he wanted to escort me out of the room. I eyed him distrustfully before shaking my head and grabbing my bag. “Uhh, no. That’s not happening.”

 

His smile widened at my wary response, “I was just being polite. Is it not custom to escort your partner in this way?”

 

“I don’t need people thinking that we’re together... mutually,” I added as we left the room and headed downstairs.

 

“You’re reluctant to be seen with me?” He questioned before taking a moment to glance down at his torso. “This is a very attractive vessel, Frank. You should be proud to have me on your arm. You should smell the pheromones being directed at me from the other humans. They would jump at the chance to bed me.”

  
  
I turned to him, eyes widening, but not surprised by his egotistical response. “Whoa, wait, you can smell that shit?”

  
  
“It’s not so much a ‘smell’ as it is an awareness. I’m linked to humans on a separate plane that you cannot sense nor understand. It’s an entirely separate level of existence. That’s how I can convince them to adhere to my demands. I connect with them on a somewhat existential level where all is revealed, including their hidden desires.”

  
  
I could feel myself blush, questioning whether or not he could sense anything from me that I didn’t want him to. I didn’t have to wonder for very long as he commented, “Yes, Frank. I can sense your feelings as well.” I refused to meet his eyes as I kept walking, clouded with embarrassment. When I didn’t comment, he continued, “I want you to understand that should you ever require a sensual release, which I understand is a basic human need, I will offer my assistance to help alleviate you in a way that you’ve never experienced. It’s one of the perks of being lust and sin incarnate.” I could hear the humor in his tone, but I was struck by his words.

  
  
Ignoring his inappropriate offer, I finally met his eyes and asked, “Wait… so you’re gay?”

  
  
Sighing, he replied, “I’ll never understand human’s fascination with putting everything into a category. Humans are driven by sexual desires. It’s inherent in your minds. Whether the purpose is to reproduce or to simply enjoy the physical pleasures of the body, it does not matter. I am not heterosexual, homosexual, or any other form of sexual preference, or lack thereof. I understand how the human body functions and what it desires, let’s leave it at that.”

  
  
I gawked at him, unable to comprehend what it was that he was trying to explain. “So… you’re basically down to fuck anything? Or nothing?”

  
  
He laughed genuinely for the first time that I had known him, which echoed throughout the hallway. I was honestly surprised that he was capable of having such a laugh. It was similar to Gerard’s, but a hundred times more wicked with a cynical undertone. I guess it was about as genuine you could get from the Devil.

  
  
“I suppose from a human perspective that’s a good way to define it. As I attempted to explain to you earlier, it’s beyond your capacity to understand my world. Even if I spent the next thousand years explaining to you, you would barely have a glimpse of what I mean.”

  
  
“I’ll pass,” I insisted.

 

“I thought you might.”

  
  
We reached the buffet and he stood next to me as I started filling a plate with runny scrambled eggs. He grimaced as he eyed it with disgust before speaking, “Referring to what we were previously discussing, haven’t you ever heard the term ‘ignorance is bliss’? I’m just protecting you from things I know you’re not prepared to hear and comprehend. You’ll know everything that you need to eventually, but you can only handle a little bit at a time. You humans are delicate.”

 

“Don’t try to interpret what I can and can’t handle. You don’t know me,” I said, slapping down a spoonful of burnt hash browns on my plate in irritation.

 

“Oh, but I do,” he said as he picked up and inspected a stale-looking bagel. “I know you more than you think. I know your habits, your likes, your dislikes, your moods, how you think,” he paused and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly into a wry smile, “I even know what you dream about.”

 

My hand slipped at his words and the fork I was holding fell from my hands and clattered loudly on the floor. I turned to him, blushing fiercely with embarrassment and anger. “I fucking knew it! You _made_ me dream that!”

  
  
He was amused by my irritation. “Yes, Frank. I’ll admit, that was a nasty way to go about displaying the influence that I have over you, but it needed to be done. You needed to realize how threatening I can really be”

  
  
“You son of a-” I stopped short at his warning glance. Instead, I seethed and spoke harshly, “It’s not much of a threat if you’re only able to overpower me in my dreams.”

  
  
“Oh, is that what you think?” His eyes flashed red and yellow before I felt the familiar and unbelievable pleasurable sensation radiating through me, making me drop my plate on the counter, quickly leaning on it for support as I almost fell to my knees in euphoric bliss.

  
  
“Fucking s-stop,” I begged, irritated by his smug look. The feeling immediately ceased and I swiftly looked around at the concerned faces of people nearby who had witnessed the odd event. If possible, I felt my face turn a deeper shade of red as I picked up my plate and continued walking to a nearby table in silence.

  
  
“Don’t test me, Frank,” he warned as he followed me to the table. “I like you, and I can make you feel unimaginable satisfaction, but I can also make you feel inexplicable pain. I’d rather it not come to that, but should you push me, I won’t hesitate to do just that.”

 

“That shouldn’t even be possible,” I stammered, not understanding how this was at all feasible. “I mean if you exist, does that mean that everything else does? Biblically speaking? Like, angels and God?”

 

His smirk faded and he sighed in irritation. “I am an angel, Frank. Also, God is overrated. Humans think that He’s this perfect being who can do no wrong. You don’t know Him like I do.”

 

It was clearly a touchy subject, and I was still reeling over the fact that God was an actual entity, so I changed the subject to avoid saying anything that I would regret. “What’s going to happen to Gerard when you find whatever it is that you’re looking for?” I asked, stabbing at my eggs with a fork, not wanting to eat.

 

“You fascinate me,” he said resting his chin on his fist. “You’re the one you should be worrying about, not Gerard. He’ll be fine, I assure you. When I’m done with him, his soul will descend into purgatory and he’ll continue into the afterlife. I’m not comprehending where this concern is coming from.”

 

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I can relate to him. He’s being forced to do something against his will. He didn’t volunteer for you to possess him. You’re tearing apart his soul, and it sounds excruciating.”

 

“Well, it would be much easier if I could ‘possess’ you, but that’s not going to happen. Besides, I quite enjoy this body. I’m considering keeping it as my permanent ‘suit’ whenever I visit Earth,” he said as he glanced down at himself admirably.

 

“That is so fucked up,” I said in a disgusted tone.

 

He chuckled, “That may be, but you’ll learn to appreciate having me around. Or maybe you already do,” he insinuated with a wink. “If your sensual release from this morning is any indication of your feelings towards me, I think that we’re off to a good start.”

 

I grimaced in response. “Lucifer, I don’t like anything about you. Whatever you need me to do, let’s get it done so that I can be done with you. Tell me what the damn plan is.”

 

He had a wickedly delighted expression as he answered, “I hope that you packed your passport. You’re going to need it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?


	8. Cloud Nine

 

“My passport?” I stared at him intently from across the table, hesitant to reply. “Yeah… I have it. Why?”

 

His wide, malevolent grin spread across his face, indicating a nefarious plan. “Good! That makes things easier. We leave on the next flight to Italy; Rome to be exact.”

 

“What?!” I somewhat shrieked, choking on my eggs. “Italy?! No fucking way!”

 

“Relax, you’ll adore Italy. Rome is a wonderful place and we’re in a very time-sensitive position, so finish that slop that you call ‘food’ so that we can begin.”

  
  
I pushed my plate away, having lost what little appetite I had. “I draw the line, Lucifer. There’s no way, I’m not crossing the fucking ocean for you.”

  
  
“You will,” he simply stated. “Whether you go willingly or I have to drag you there myself.”

  
  
I stared at him coldly, lip quivering in hatred. He laughed at my expression before commenting, “I never get tired of your responses. Human emotion fascinates me. Don’t get me wrong, I despise all of you. To me, you’re all filthy vermin; an experiment that got out of hand due to God’s boredom, but as time goes by I grow more and more fond of the human race. You in particular.”

 

“Good to know,” I spat sarcastically, ignoring his praise. “How the hell are we supposed to get to Italy? What’s so important that we suddenly have to travel halfway across the world?”

 

“The last time I checked, all it takes to get to Italy is transportation,” he added facetiously. Taking into consideration my unamused face, he chuckled and continued, “The purpose of going to Italy is so that I may speak with Father Gabriele Amorth. He’ll lead us to the new whereabouts of what it is that I seek.”

 

“Look, I don’t know about you, but I don’t have the money to just drop on a round trip flight to another country. Seriously, how do you expect us to pay for that?”

 

With a somewhat bored tone, he replied, “Do not worry about funds, it will be taken care of.”

  
  
“What? How?”

  
  
“You’re just going to have to trust me, Frank,” he sighed, clearly no longer entertained by my hysterics.

  
  
I stared at him skeptically. “You do realize you’re asking me to trust the creature of all lies and deceit, right? Do you understand how that sounds?”

 

His lips peeled back into another vicious smile. “I’m glad that we have an understanding.”

  
  
“We don’t,” I argued, crossing my arms childishly.

  
  
Before I could protest further, Lucifer’s gaze fell to my empty water glass. “Your beverage needs to be filled,” he commented, catching me off guard. “Allow me.”

 

Lucifer grabbed my glass and got up to casually walk over to the water dispenser where a young woman was already standing and filling up her own glass. He winked at her when he approached and I rolled my eyes as she giggled flirtatiously. He leaned in closer to her, gently brushing her hair aside as he whispered something into her ear. She looked a bit shocked and blushed furiously, but smiled in response. Lucifer raised his eyebrows seductively at her and walked back to the table, water in hand.

 

“You’ve _got_ to be joking,” I said incredulously, nauseated at his actions.

 

“What?” he asked with deceitful innocence.

 

“What was the point of that?” My eyes shifted towards the girl still at the counter. She was staring at Lucifer dazed and frozen in place. “She looks like she’s about to pass out.”

 

His gaze followed my line of sight to the girl and he snickered. “It’s just too easy. I told you that this is an attractive vessel and people are quick to adhere to their sexual desires. You just have to know how to awaken that passion in others. You’re all very predictable.”

  
  
Scowling, I continued to question his motives, “So, what, you just propositioned her for sex?”

  
  
“No, I told her that if her boyfriend weren’t standing 10 feet away, I would take her right there on that counter, so hard that she wouldn’t be able to sit properly for a week.”

  
  
“What?!” I gasped. “Lucifer, you can’t just speak to people like that! Not in a fucking public motel lobby!”

  
  
He chuckled darkly, once again entertained by my reaction. “I told you, Frank. I can sense these things. She was eying me the moment we walked into this room. She was fantasizing about it, so I thought I’d give her something to _really_ fantasize about.”

 

I could feel the annoyance plastered across my face. “It’s not you that she thinks is attractive. It’s Gerard.”

 

“Wrong!” he accused, smiling playfully as he lifted his finger at me. “It’s not just the physical appearance she craves. I seem to have lust radiating off of me. It’s something I’ve always quite enjoyed.” He looked at me thoughtfully, tilting his head to the side subtly. “Can you feel it?”

 

“Not at all,” I answered a little too quickly, shifting uncomfortably in my chair.

 

“Hmm,” he replied, searching my face. “I told you before, there’s really no point in lying to me. I can sense your cravings towards this body. Eventually, you will need to abate those desires, Frank, and when you do, I’ll be here to assist you,” he finished with a smirk.

 

My breath hitched under his intense stare. Looking away to avoid his eyes, I changed the subject. “So tell me what this ‘object’ is that you’re looking for.”

 

He sat back in his chair, fidgeting with impatience. “I suppose one could say that it’s a temporary container. It contains the source of power I need to gain access to a gate in another world. I’m unable to reach it at this moment, as it is obviously being hidden from me. It’s something that was taken from me, and is rightfully mine to retrieve.”

 

Clearly, my face had the element of confusion written all over it because he chuckled lightly and continued to explain further. “It’s the power I had before I fell from grace. As a form of punishment for my so-called ‘treason’, they stripped it from me, and now it’s time for me to take it back.”

 

Nodding briefly, only somewhat understanding, I dared to ask, “So is that all this ‘power’ does is open a gate? Why does it need to be opened in the first place?”

 

“That’s not something I am willing to divulge at the moment,” he answered with a warning glance, indicating that I was overstepping.

 

Foolishly, I didn’t heed the warning. “Well, if it was taken from you, maybe it’s not such a good idea for you to have it back. If I help, wouldn’t that be like me going against God?”

 

He stared daggers at me, the familiar fiery color briefly adorning his irises before he spoke in a voice that turned my blood to ice. “It was never His to take away. It shouldn’t have been taken from me in the first place. I did nothing wrong,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m just taking back what is mine and if God has a problem with that, then he can try to stop me Himself.” He took a moment to tilt his head to the side in mock sweetness as he spoke, his voice cold and calculated, “But I don’t see Him here. Do you, Frank?”

 

A twinge of fear ran down my spine from the harsh tone of his voice and the frightening look on his face. This was obviously a touchy subject for him and I had a habit of pressing when I should back down from a conversation. It was never one of my best qualities, but this was the first time that I ever felt a real threat of actual danger if I spoke out of turn.

  
  
I swallowed thickly and turned my gaze to my lap, indicating that I wouldn’t bring it up again.

 

Accepting my silent apology, which seemed to have calmed his anger, he cleared his throat and continued, “We should get going. Are you finished?”

 

I nodded my head in response, cleaning up my plate before grabbing our bags and heading out of the motel. We checked out quickly, got back into my car and started driving towards the nearest airport. He was quiet for the remainder of the trip, which was unusual for him. He didn’t utter even a single snide remark, which I couldn’t decide was a relief or if it only caused more tension.

 

Once we got to the airport, I started to get even more nervous as we approached the ticket desk. The woman behind the counter greeted us kindly as we approached. “Welcome! How may I help you today?”

 

Before we reached the counter, Lucifer lifted his arm in front of me, indicating to stay where I was while he met with the woman on his own. I watched suspiciously as he leaned in and whispered something to her while staring her directly in the eyes. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but when he was done, she had a bemused look on her face as she started typing furiously on her computer. Moments after, she was handing Lucifer two first-class tickets to Rome.

 

“Thank you for your hospitality,” he expressed provocatively, winking at her as he led us towards security check-in. I glanced behind us to see her continued blank expression, blinking in confusion as we left.

 

“What the hell was that?” I asked, concerned for her mental state.

 

He smiled smugly. “Don’t concern yourself. We were granted complimentary tickets to Italy.”

 

“Bullshit,” I blatantly accused.

 

“Don’t concern yourself with the details, Frank,” he laughed as he spoke. “We’re about to spend the next twelve hours together and we’re-” He was suddenly cut off as he halted in his steps and began to shudder. “You must be joking,” he sputtered as his face contorted into a mixture of pain and irritation. Lucifer swallowed hard and walked slowly until he fell onto a receptacle bin, which he then proceeded to grab a hold of tightly and lean over like he was going to get sick.

 

“Lucifer?” I asked, both concerned and nervous that he was making a scene. Luckily, no one had really seemed to notice.

 

He began shaking violently, gasping for air as he tried to stand up straight, but couldn’t. I hesitantly placed my hand on his back, but he instantly flinched away. “Don’t,” he fumed harshly.

  
  
I stepped back, giving him space, not knowing what I was supposed to do as he continued to gasp in pain, relying on the bin to hold him steady. After a minute or so, he began to compose himself. He stood up from the bin, still quivering a bit with his face damp with sweat.

 

“What the hell just happened?” I huffed out, grateful that his weird episode seemed to go unnoticed by the rest of the people in the airport.

 

He took a moment to look around, eyes widening at his surroundings. He glanced in my direction and instantly looked relieved. “Frank?”

  
  
“What is wrong with you?” I demanded, losing what little patience I had left.

  
  
He placed his palm on his forehead, wincing in pain before he replied. “It’s me, Frank. I… I need to sit down for a minute,” he said weakly before making his way towards the chairs in one of the waiting areas.

  
  
“Gerard?” I asked, taking a seat next to him as he relaxed into the chair and let his head loll back.

 

I watched him apprehensively, waiting for some kind of response as he caught his breath, looking more stressed out than before. I didn’t know what to do at this point. He finally opened his mouth and breathlessly spoke, “This fucking sucks.”

 

“Gerard?” I repeated, waiting for confirmation.

 

His eyes remained closed, not bothering to look at me as he replied weakly, “Hmm?”

 

“I’m sorry, I know you just basically clawed your way out of possession, but we’re supposed to get on a plane right now. I don’t mean to pressure you or anything, but I don’t know if you really know what’s going on. Lucifer just got us two tickets to Italy and the flight is about to leave. I’ll leave it up to you if we’re going or staying.”

 

He sighed heavily before replying, “Let’s just get on the plane.” I nodded my head, holding out my hand for him to grab to help him up from the chair. He faltered at first but was able to walk on his own, still clearly weak from the transition, or whatever the fuck that was. Neither of us said anything more until we were seated on the plane.

 

After we got somewhat comfortable in our seats, I took it upon myself to really look him over. He looked so lost and dejected as he stared out of the tiny plane window. I was never really the touchy-feely kind of guy, but my heart almost ached for him. Regardless of the fact that we were both trapped in this situation, I think it’s fair to say that he definitely got the short end of the stick.

  
  
I don’t know what came over me then; it was so out of character for me, but I felt so bad for the guy that as the plane took off, I lifted my hand and began to place it over his as a gesture of comfort. He glanced in my direction for the first time since we had gotten on the plane and I hesitated as he noticed my outreach. Before I could go through with it, I instead set my hand on the armrest next to his, embarrassed that I would even make a move like that. “Err… sorry,” I mumbled.

  
  
He forced a weak smile, “No, that’s okay. I’d actually really appreciate the contact, as odd as that sounds.”  He reached over and gripped my hand tightly in return before he continued to stare impassively out of the window.

 

I didn’t realize how much I needed the connection as well until he took my hand in his. I was somewhat annoyed with myself for feeling this way. I had a bad habit of overthinking things, so instead of ruining the moment, I concentrated on Gerard. “What are you thinking?” I asked, interrupting his thoughts.

 

His eyebrows wrinkled in concentration before he answered. “I can feel myself fading. The things that made me who I am are dying out the longer he possesses me. I know I’m half dead, but I don’t understand how the strong feelings I had when I was alive can cease so easily. It’s… an awful feeling.”

 

“What parts do you miss the most?” He turned his attention away from the clouds and focused on me. “I’m sorry,” I continued, hoping I didn’t insult him. “I don’t mean to get too personal. I just want to understand so that maybe I can help. We’re in this together, you know.”

  
  
_Ugh, cheesy much? Get ahold of yourself, Iero! Be a fucking man!_ I shouted at myself in my head.

 

He nodded. “Just everything really. My passion for art, my drive for creativity, my obnoxious behavior, you name it. I feel like an empty shell and as much as I want those things back, I don’t think that I ever will.”

 

I didn’t want to confirm his suspicions and hurt him further. Lucifer had made it clear that when he was done with his mission that Gerard would continue to pass on, not go on living.

  
  
“I’m here on borrowed time anyway,” he concluded. “I get that, I do. I just wish that while I had this extra time that I would feel more like myself.”

  
  
“I can’t imagine that’s easy considering the Devil is riding you like a bitch,” I joked, trying to make light of the situation.

  
  
The corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly as he replied. “Exactly.”

 

A few minutes of silence passed before he spoke again. “So, Italy, huh? It’s nice there. That’s where I get a lot of my inspiration from. In fact, my last gallery submission was largely based on Italy and their views of death. Kind of ironic now, when you think about it.”

 

“I’ve seen some of your art. It’s incredible; you’re really talented.”

  
  
“Thank you, I appreciate that,” he beamed despite his downcast demeanor.

  
  
I felt bad for changing the subject from something that he was clearly passionate about, but while he was in control, I had to use what he knew to my advantage. “So, I don’t know how much you remember from when Lucifer was present, but do you know anything about this, ‘Father Amorth’ he was talking about?”

 

Shaking his head, he replied, “No I don’t. I can access his thoughts and feelings sometimes, but not really at the moment he’s having them. It’s sort of like a memory. I’m not getting anything on this Amorth guy though.”

 

“Fucking prick,” I mumbled under my breath.

 

Gerard must have heard me because he chuckled lightly and said, “You expect Satan to be fair and polite? You have high standards.”

 

I could feel my temper starting to flare. “How can you accept this so easily? He brought you back from the _dead_! Instead of letting you move on, he ripped you from the afterlife and is using you for his own personal agenda!”

 

He shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I’m grateful for the extra time I get on Earth, even if I have to share it with the source of all evil. I’m going to miss this,” he said as his gaze fell back to the window, staring into the horizon.

 

I guess I had figured that he couldn’t wait for it to be over and done with so he could move on. Even with his diminishing soul, he still found beauty in the things that I take for granted every day. It made me feel like an insensitive asshole, which to be fair, I am, but now wasn’t the time to express that.

 

“I wish I could have known you before this,” I blurted out, my breath hitching as soon as the words left my lips. I tried to smooth it over with a quick retort. “I mean… you seem really cool. You’re a good guy. It’s a load of bullshit that you have to go through this.”

 

His hazel eyes searched my face as he replied, “Me too. I wish we could have met under different circumstances.”

 

My thoughts were all over the place as we sat together, oblivious to what was waiting for us when we landed in Italy. I noticed that Gerard was still gripping my hand tightly, which oddly brought me comfort. There was something about his presence that made me feel safe and not so terrified. Gerard already knew his fate, but the uncertainty of my own was just a little more bearable with him here.

  
  
I continued to let my mind wander until I started to feel my eyelids grow heavy and just after a few short minutes, I surrendered to the lethargy. Once my eyes were closed, I realized that it would be rude for me to pass out when I had remembered that Gerard was no longer able to sleep. I grunted with annoyance as I ripped my eyes open only to see that I was no longer on the plane, but back in the church on Edgewater Avenue.

 

Lucifer could be seen at the front of the chapel, extending his hand out to me as a request to join him. I could tell immediately that it was Lucifer and not Gerard due to the fact that when my gaze was locked with his, he smiled with such wickedness that I could barely stand to look at him.

 

Since I had taken too long to move, he suddenly appeared next to me, making me jump in surprise. I became unnerved when a hand snaked around my side and pulled me close. My body was pressed up against his as his eyes burned into mine. Even through his thick, black suit, I could feel the heat radiating off of him. He brought his head down low so that his lips were gently resting against my ear. I shivered as he softly whispered, “Are you ready for your reward, my pet?”

 

“Go fuck yourself,” I spat, pushing him away from me, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

 

The wickedness that consumed his face became even more malevolent. The smirk that was on his face was now replaced with a disapproving sneer. He quickly grabbed my hair and jerked my face close to his, practically ripping the hair out of my skull, which made me reluctantly cry out.

 

“Listen to me, you little shit,” he threatened. The harshness in his voice still had a terrifying effect on me. I was getting used to the smart-ass Lucifer, not the horrifying, aggressive one. I had forgotten how much he could frighten me. “You are mine now. Have you so easily forgotten that you agreed to this? Don’t forget what I can do to you and those you love. Now, show me some words of gratitude before I pull them from your fucking throat myself, you ungrateful fuck.”

 

His eyes were blazing and I felt myself quiver beneath his gaze. This couldn’t be real. This couldn’t possibly be happening. What had happened that brought us to this point? What did I agree to?

 

“Lost for words, Frank? Don’t worry, let me help you,” he offered before he grabbed me tightly and forced his lips on mine. His tongue fought entry into my reluctant mouth but somehow forced its way through my lips.

 

He kissed me so roughly that I could feel my lips bruising. His tongue was searching every part of my mouth. I then gasped in surprise when I felt his tongue grow longer and force itself down my throat. I began to gag as his lips left mine and he stood back, his tongue still lodged deep inside my throat. I looked at him with pleading eyes, begging him to take it out, but he just sat back and laughed so manically, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

 

I couldn’t get any air. I was choking and gagging on his tongue while my eyes welled up with tears, but he wouldn’t pull back. I tried to lift up my hands to pull it out myself, but he gripped them both tightly. I continued to fight until my eyes started to droop and I fell to the floor. The room began to go black, but I could still see the glowing red color in those relentless, unforgiving eyes.

 

* * *

 

I jolted awake, gasping for air and holding my pounding heart.

 

“Whoa, hey, you okay?” I briefly heard over the sound of my own heavy breathing.

 

I turned my head to see Gerard staring at me with concern. I nearly jumped up from my seat at the sight of him considering the last time I had seen his face, he was forcing his demonic tongue down my throat.

 

He made a move to place a comforting arm around me, but I scooted back as far as I could in my seat to get the most distance between us, pushing my arms out defensively. I frantically looked around to see that I was no longer in the church, but back on the plane.

 

I looked back at him to see that he was hurt by my rejection of his gesture, but I couldn’t be sure who it was that I was speaking to. “Just… give me a minute,” I demanded, my heart still thumping rapidly against my chest.

 

He continued to stare at me with worry, slowly placing his arm back at his side. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

 

“Are you really you? Gerard, I mean?” I asked, still hesitant.

 

“Yeah, it’s me... did you have a nightmare or something?”

 

It didn’t take very long to determine that the man sitting next to me was not Lucifer, but instead the kind, considerate artist that I had come to know. I took another minute to look him over once more, taking in his boyish features, which gave him a certain look of innocence. Lucifer really did chose this body wisely if he was going for someone who had a trustworthy and kind face, but it was more than that. Gerard’s vibes in general were warm and welcoming. I hardly knew him and I found myself wanting to wrap myself in his arms and seek comfort from him, but there was no way that was happening.

  
  
_You’re getting a fucking crush on the Devil’s vessel, you idiot. Pull yourself together, Frank!_

  
  
That was the absolute last thing that I should be thinking of and I knew for a fact that Gerard had absolutely no interest in that sort of thing. He basically just flat out told me that he’s incapable of feeling. This was not the time or the place to be thinking about something like that.

  
  
I shut my eyes tightly for a moment, pushing those thoughts out of my mind before taking a deep breath and apologizing. “Gerard… I’m sorry. I sometimes have a hard time figuring out if you’re really you or Lucifer. I’m just mentally exhausted, I guess.”

 

He shook his head and lifted his hand to wave it dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. I know how difficult this must be for you and how on edge you must be. This would be difficult for anyone to face, let alone a kid in college.”

  
  
“I’m not a _kid_ ,” I insisted firmly, irritated by his assumption. “I actually think that I’ve been handling this really fucking well considering the circumstances. And you’re really not that much older than I am, so get off of your high horse.”

  
  
I immediately regretted snapping at him like that. He looked taken aback and his gaze fell to the floor while his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. I internally groaned for making him look that way all because I had an attitude problem and a quick temper. I was about to apologize, but he beat me to it. “I’m sorry, I-I didn’t mean it like that. I-” he stammered, still gazing at the floor. “I just meant… I know the effect that Lucifer has on you.”

  
  
“What do you mean?”

  
  
He swallowed thickly. “I’m remembering more now. I know what Lucifer did to you. Or, err… how he made you feel.”

  
  
I was clueless as to what he mean. Clearly I was missing something and not reading into his words properly. “You mean terrified? Yeah, I thought that was a given.”

  
  
“No, Frank,” he finally glanced up at me, still red in the face. He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his seat, leaning towards me and lowering his voice. “The power he has to make you feel… uhm… _aroused_.”

  
  
It finally clicked. Now it was my turn to flush with embarrassment. “Oh,” I commented, lowering my gaze to my lap, refusing to meet his eyes.

  
  
“I’m sorry,” he commented, tilting his head in my line of vision to make me lock eyes with him. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’m sure that’s not exactly as pleasant for you as he seems to think it is.”

  
  
“It’s not your fault. I hate that I’m so… susceptible to it. I don’t really know what else to say about it.” Oh god, this was so awkward. I know that he was trying to be nice about it, but it was hard to hold his gaze when I kept picturing his mouth around my cock like he had appeared in my sleep. Whether it was him or Lucifer, they still shared the same face and it was hard to separate the two. That led me to my next thought, “So, wait, are you remembering what happened at breakfast, or in my dreams too?”

  
  
He blinked, head cocking to the side trying to remember. “I can see both very vividly now…” He shifted in his seat again, flexing his fingers in a nervous manner.

  
  
“Uhh… you can see what happened? During my dream?” I eyed him anxiously, debating if I really wanted to know the answer.

  
  
He simply nodded his head in return, locking his hazel eyes with mine, which were clouded with… what was it? Pity? Suspicion? Lust? I couldn’t tell. For a very expressive face, he was often difficult to read.

  
  
He furrowed his eyebrows for a moment as I tried further to determine his unspoken thoughts. He then took my hand in his delicately like he did before. What I thought was a nice, sweet gesture soon turned into uncomfortable horror. As soon as he touched me, a twinge of the familiar ecstasy surged through my entire body.

  
  
“What the fuck?” I breathed, which came out more like a moan than a protest. I ripped my hand away from his, causing him to jump at my reaction as well, clearly startled from the result. “What did you just do?!”

  
  
“I’m… I-I don’t… I don’t know,” he stuttered incredulously.

  
  
“I swear, if you’re fucking with me…” I trailed off, anger welling up inside of me at the physical intrusion.

  
  
“I’m not! I don’t know how I did that, I swear! He looked genuinely shocked and took a moment before speaking again. “I just… I have to wonder…” He furrowed his brows again in concentration, but nothing was happening. His eyes darted around until an idea struck him. Gerard then tenderly placed his hand experimentally on my thigh and that was all it took. I emitted a guttural groan at his touch, the waves of intensity going straight to my crotch.

  
  
“Holy shit,” he breathed, removing his hand quickly, leaving me a panting mess in my seat, sporting an obvious erection from the incursion. “That felt amazing,” he said, glancing down at his hands.

  
  
Irritated by his reaction, I snapped, “Are you fucking kidding me, Gerard?! This isn’t a joke!”

  
  
His excitement soon turned to shame as he saw the look on my face. “Of course not! Frank… I don’t know how I’m doing that. Lucifer’s not in control, I promise! It’s me! Look at me!” I met his eyes and could see instantly that there was no trace of Lucifer’s malevolence. I took a deep breath and nodded, still flushed from the heat and embarrassment.

  
  
I couldn’t deal with this right now. There really shouldn’t have been anything that could shock me anymore, but this was too much to handle. Not to mention the fact that I now had a very painful boner prominently presenting itself in my pants. “I… I need to go to the bathroom,” I said, excusing myself.

  
  
I walked to the bathroom and quickly shut the door behind me. I desperately needed to relieve myself after that. I was as hard as a rock. I had barely unzipped my pants when I heard a knock at the door. “Frank?” Gerard whispered from the other side.

  
  
“What?” I hissed.

  
  
“Frank, please open the door.”

  
  
Un-fucking-believable. Did he really not know what it was that I came in here for? Was a little privacy too much to ask?! “Umm… can you wait a few minutes?”

  
  
“Please, it’s important.” I groaned and zipped my pants back up before cracking open the door, practically seething. “What?”

  
  
He pushed me forward, knocking the breath out of me as I stumbled back into the cramped bathroom with an  _oomph_  as I landed against the counter. “What are you doing?!”

  
  
He stared at me for a minute, looking like he himself wasn’t even sure of why he was there. “I just… I needed to try something. I’m so sorry, please just let me do this.”

  
  
I barely had time to protest before his mouth was on mine. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer as he inhaled deeply into the kiss. I immediately tensed up, not sure of what to do in that moment. However, it didn’t take long for me to start to melt into his warm, welcoming body as my hands slowly lifted to tangle my fingers in his long black hair, pulling him closer. He hastily spun us around to pin me up against the door, causing me to open my mouth in surprise, which he immediately took advantage of, plunging his tongue into my mouth.

  
  
I had forgotten everything in that moment. Kissing him was almost as euphoric as the manipulation that Lucifer, and now apparently he, had over me. I found myself whimpering into the kiss as his tongue seemed to explore every area in my mouth. After a moment of devouring each other, I lifted my head to gasp for air, causing him to move his lips to my neck, sucking and nibbling gently as I continued to breathe heavily.

  
  
Though my mind was clouded with lust, I was able to come down a bit from the high that his lips had over me. “W-what are you doing?” I repeated, panting as he continued sucking on my neck.

  
  
“You make me feel _alive_ ,” he mumbled against my neck. He pulled back briefly after a moment to meet my eyes, his lips swollen and damp with saliva, making them look irresistible. “I haven’t felt like this since before I died. Whatever that was that happened when I touched you, if I concentrate hard enough…” he trailed off, placing his hand on my chest, resulting in the same sinful surge of pleasure. I groaned and leaned into him, rubbing my growing erection against his thigh.

  
  
“O-oh my god,” I moaned as I grinded against him. “Gerard, wait…”

  
  
He didn’t wait. Not even for a moment. Instead, he reached his hand down to palm me through my pants, squinting his eyes harder in concentration as the feeling almost brought me to my knees, and it would have had he not been holding me up against the door.

  
  
I cried out desperately, making him smile with satisfaction. “Shhh, Frank, they’ll hear us.”

  
  
“I-I’m close,” I barely uttered the words as another wave of blissful euphoria shot straight to my groin, making me grab the collar of his jacket, bringing him closer to kiss him deeply. It was only a few moments and one more intense surge of pleasure before I was spilling into my pants, crying out in ecstasy against his mouth while he swallowed my screams.

  
  
My head was still reeling as I started to come down from my high. Did that seriously just happen?

  
  
He removed his hand from my damp crotch as I pried my hands from his jacket and stepped back to look at his once lust-filled gaze, now flushed with embarrassment. “Frank… I-I…” he looked away from me, unsure of what to say.

  
  
“What the fuck just happened?” I panted, slicking my hair back that had fallen out of place during our entanglement. “Why did you do that?”

  
  
“I don’t know,” he admitted softly, still not meeting my gaze. “I just had this really sudden urge to be with you in that way. I didn’t mean for things to escalate so quickly, I’m so sorry, Frank.” His voice was wrecked with guilt, breaking more and more with each word he spoke. “When I felt that power, it just consumed me, and I took it out on you.” He finally met my eyes then, filled with regret and shame. “I used you to feel alive again, and I’m so sorry.”

  
  
“Gerard, it’s okay,” I said still softly panting from the intense orgasm. “I mean, I’m not complaining, that was amazing,” I joked. “I just thought that... “

 

“...That I was attracted to you?” he finished my thought.

  
  
“Fuck,” I huffed. “You don’t even know me, and you’re sharing a body with Lucifer. Of course you’re not attracted to me, I’m sorry.”

  
  
“I never said I wasn’t,” he stated bluntly. I looked at him in disbelief, elated when the corners of his mouth lifting slightly into a smile. “To be fair, I know you a lot more than you know me. I know all that Lucifer knows, and I hate to tell you this, but he knows you pretty well. You’re a really good guy, Frank, and you’re… well, if I can be honest, you’re hot as fuck,” he laughed. “Regardless, it was wrong of me to force that on you, and I’m sorry.”

  
  
It had been an emotional roller coaster over the past few days, and with this on top of everything, I really didn’t know how much more I could handle. As much as I wanted to kiss him again, I knew that I had to cool it a bit and give him some time to adjust. Not to mention the fact that he basically just discovered that he could tap into Lucifer’s powers, which was something else that we needed to figure out to use to our advantage. “Let’s just… forget about it for now, okay?”

  
  
He nodded his head, still smiling before he left to go back to his seat, allowing me time to wash the mess off of my pants before going back myself. After about 15 minutes of scrubbing and drying my pants as best I could with paper towels, I headed back to my seat, meeting the eyes of a lot of judgmental faces of people who must have heard us together.

  
  
I was once again red with embarrassment by the time I sat back down and was greeted with Gerard’s warm smile. Feelings of intimacy flooded through me just from seeing his face. And then just as quickly, guilt washed over me as well. This was wrong. A part of me knew that. He wasn’t even alive and he was sharing a body with the Devil. What had I just given into? Was I really that weak? Was a quickie in the bathroom all it really took to make me have feelings for this guy?

  
  
I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I hardly noticed Gerard placing his hand in mine once more. He looked at me questioningly as he did so, waiting for my permission. His innocent gesture was somewhat adorable. I was never the touchy-feely type, but I accepted his action and he took it upon himself to lean against my shoulder as we stared out the window together at the endless blue sea. I was so relaxed and at peace that I started to drift off to sleep once more, smiling as I did so.

 

* * *

  
  
I began to stir a few hours later, more rested than I had been in days. I smiled when I saw Gerard still next to me, eying me with his large hazel eyes.

  
  
“Hey,” I yawned, stretching out my arms and flexing my fingers to crack my joints. “I’m sorry about that; I didn’t mean to pass out on you.”

  
  
“Oh, I don’t blame you. You’ve had an exhausting flight,” he spoke facetiously, grinning uncharacteristically widely. “Joining the Mile High Club and all, I’m sure that you were utterly exhausted.”

 

I started to panic internally. Was he regretting what happened between us? Did he think that I was an asshole for falling asleep when he couldn’t? Instead of speculating further, torturing myself, I finally just outright asked, “Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fantastically well, thank you, Frank. I actually have to give you two credit for getting on the plane and not trying to run away. That would have made your situation much worse, trust me.”

 

It took only a few seconds to understand what had happened. I threw my head back into my seat with frustration and groaned. “Lucifer, why can’t you just let Gerard stay longer? He’s a hell of a lot better company than you are.”

 

“Yes, I’ve noticed just how _much_ you’ve been enjoying his company as of late,” he eyed me with a smirk.

  
  
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I sneered.

  
  
“Do you honestly think that I don’t see what he sees while he’s in control? Besides, he shouldn’t even be taking over like that. It’s not normal.”

 

“You think this is normal?” I almost shrieked. “This whole situation is as fucked up as it gets. I’m done, Lucifer. I’m so done with your bullshit. Italy is as far as it goes. After that, I’m going home. I can’t handle this. I thought I could, but I can’t.”

 

He placed his hand on my jaw, turning my face towards him gently, but with warning. He didn’t say anything at first, but then he laughed lowly. “We’ll see about that.”

 

“What?”

 

“You may change your mind once we get there and you understand what exactly we’re there for. I have a feeling you’re going to love Italy. It’s a place of magic, wonder…” he paused, his eyes blazing. “And romance.”


	9. Breathe No More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait on this one. 
> 
> **Trigger warnings for this chapter: Sexual Assault, Gore, Torture**

 

I’d be lying if I said that I hadn’t always wanted to go to Italy, but these were far from the circumstances that I thought I’d find myself in while planning a trip there. Rome seemed like an incredible city, but I doubted that we would be doing any sightseeing while hunting down his stolen power from the poor soul who was hiding it. 

 

I huffed in annoyance at Lucifer’s childish remarks and irritatingly excited demeanor. “I really don’t care about what Italy has to offer. This isn’t a vacation for me, Lucifer.”

 

“That’s a shame,” he said, staring out of the plane window, responding in an almost bored tone. “Considering how much I hate Earth, Italy is a wondrous place; sinful in the best possible way. Nothing compared to Las Vegas, but you’d be surprised. The history there is to die for, or in Gerard’s case, to stay dead for.” He snickered at his own bad joke.  

 

“Ugh,” I scoffed.

 

“What?” he asked, turning towards me with a smirk, amused at my disdain.

  
  
“It’s exhausting having to deal with you is ‘what’,” I replied, losing my patience.  


His smirk grew into a wry smile spreading widely across his face. “Oh, I’m well aware of how exhausted you are. With all of the _excitement_ ,” he drew out the last word with a teasing hiss,” I’m sure you could use some relaxation after all of this emotional turmoil. Don’t worry, Frank; I haven’t forgotten that you’re a functioning human and you need to be taken care of. I plan to do just that once we settle in Italy. You’ve heard the term, ‘work first, play later’, yes? Well, I just have a small errand to run when we arrive and then we can turn our attention to the spoils of Rome.”

  
  
“I’m not interested in enjoying anything with you, to be quite honest. I just want to get this done and go home.”

  
  
Lucifer shrugged casually as he replied, “We’ll see about that.”

  
  
I didn’t want to think about what he meant by that as we sat in silence for the remainder of the trip. I was kicking myself for sleeping so much while Gerard was present because I was already missing his company, but I was exhausted and couldn’t stay awake. I had hoped that he would emerge sooner rather than later so we could properly talk about what had happened between us, as awkward as that conversation was going to be.

 

When we finally arrived, Lucifer didn’t waste any time in making his way through the terminals, getting our bags and hailing a taxi. “Buonasera ( _Good evening_ ),” he said when we settled in the back seat. “ Ci porti alla Città del Vaticano ( _Take us to the Vatican City_ ).” I looked at him in surprise. I should have known that the Devil could fluently speak other languages, but to hear him speak Italian so effortlessly still caught me by surprise. He noticed me staring and gave me an amused wink.

 

“Sei sicuro? In questo momento della notte? ( _Are you certain? At this time of night?_ ),” asked the driver.

 

“Sì, sono certo ( _Yes, I am certain_ ),” Lucifer replied.

  
  
Before the driver took off, Lucifer leaned forward and grasped him firmly on his shoulder while whispering in his ear. “ Nonostante ciò che senti, non girare. Capisci? ( _Despite what you hear, do not turn around. Do you understand?_ )” The driver had the same dazed expression with his eyes glazed over as he nodded absentmindedly to whatever Lucifer had instructed him to do, just as I had seen him do with others. I didn’t think much of it as he smiled wickedly and sat back in his seat, casually placing his arm behind me in a relaxed position.

 

As the car took off I turned to him and quietly asked, “Where are we going?”

 

“You’ll know when we get there. In the meantime, there is something that I need to address with you. What happened between you and Gerard-”

  
  
“Is none of your business,” I cut him off, not at all liking where this conversation was headed.

  
  
“Oh, it is absolutely my business, especially considering that he’s tapped into my abilities and has been experimenting with them on you. I can’t have that. You’re mine to please, Frank. _Mine_. Not Gerard’s.”

  
  
I could feel my face heating up as my temper started to flare again at his audacity. “You’ve got some fucking nerve, Lucifer. I-”

  
  
“Shhh,” he cut me off, reaching his hand out to lightly brush my cheek. I started to recoil from his touch, but as soon as his skin made contact with mine, a warm sensation coursed through my body, making me relax instantly, almost forgetting why I was upset in the first place. The fire and hunger were evident in his eyes as he caressed my cheek tenderly once more, increasing the sensation. I started to become dazed for a moment before I felt my arms go slack and my legs felt numb. I felt my head loll back into the seat and I couldn’t fight the paralyzing feeling that was flowing through me. My mind was completely alert and aware, but my body wasn’t cooperating.

 

“W-what’s happening to me?”

 

“Don’t fight it, Frank. I just need you to be a little more compliant is all,” he cooed, leaning closer to breathe on my neck.

 

“Lucifer, stop.”

 

“Oh, but isn't this what you wanted?”

 

He got down on his knees and started to unbutton my pants. I swallowed thickly, struggling to find the strength to fight and push him off of me but my arms wouldn’t budge. He quickly managed to undo my pants and slide them down my hips enough for him to reach into my boxers and pull out my cock.

  
  
“Lucifer, this is not okay. I-I don’t want this. Fucking _stop_ ,” I hissed, going red in the face, glancing from him to the driver and back to my exposed cock.

  
  
A smug grin graced his lips as he began to stroke my length, teasingly slowly at first but soon sped up as my breathing hitched in my throat. “You’ve dreamt about having Gerard’s lips wrapped around you for some time, Frank.” He gave me a challenging stare, which I hardly noticed because I was too focused on his skillful hands twisting around my quickly hardening dick, his thumb running over my slit with each upward stroke. His voice was laced with lust and longing, which had more of an effect on me than I cared to admit. “I want you to have everything you desire. If you’re loyal to me, I’ll make sure that you have everything that you’ve ever wanted.”

 

“I’ve… already… told you…” I barely managed to let the words pass over my lips as I tried to keep my breathing even. He could clearly see how he was affecting me, but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. “I don’t… want a-anything… from you…”

  
  
“Shhh, Frankie, there’s no need to spoil our fun. Just relax and enjoy. You don’t even have to think about me being the source of your pleasure. Just imagine Gerard instead. I can be Gerard for you, Frank. I can be whatever you want me to be,” he murmured softly.

 

That got my attention. I hardly had time to register what it was that he was proposing before his lips wrapped themselves around my fully erect dick. “Oh, fuck,” I whimpered under my breath, earning a stimulating hum from Lucifer.

  
  
“Please,” I helplessly continued to beg. “I don’t… want this.” As soon as the words left my lips, he sunk down on my cock and I could feel my head hit the back of his throat. I choked out a loud moan as he stayed in position, swallowing the precum that was forming, not gagging even once.

  
  
I kept screaming at myself in my head. _It’s Lucifer! It’s not Gerard! He is fucking assaulting you!_

  
  
My thoughts were soon interrupted when Lucifer slowly removed his mouth from my leaking dick, just long enough to slip one of his digits into his mouth. I knew what was coming, but I still wasn’t prepared for the intrusion when he roughly inserted his finger into me. A low groan involuntarily erupted from my throat as the burn turned into a friction that I desperately needed more of.

  
  
“That’s it, Frankie,” I heard him whisper over my desperate panting. “I love seeing you like this. This is how you should always be for me; needy and compliant.”

  
  
“F-fuck you, asshole. I don’t- oh my fucking god!” I sobbed when his mouth returned to my dick with his skillful tongue as he added a second finger, immediately finding my prostate and rubbing against it roughly. I didn’t think that it could get any better until I felt the familiar mind-blowing powerful bliss beginning to radiate through me once more.

 

I could feel everything as if it was magnified. Every touch, every lick, every breath. I could feel it all tenfold and my body couldn’t hold out any longer. “Please,” I begged as a last attempt to hold him off.

  
  
I was surprised when he lifted his mouth from my throbbing cock and lifted his head to meet me eye-level. “I want him to see what I do to you, Frank,” he said in a husky voice. “I want him to see that only I can bring you this kind of pleasure and that he will never have you because you already belong to me.” His hand sped up to stroke me roughly while his fingers worked their magic inside of me, thrusting against my prostate in just the right spot. I could feel the familiar feeling in my gut starting to tense up, ready to unravel at any moment.

  
  
I tried to fight it off. I closed my eyes and tried to picture anything but the man in front of me, but he wasn’t having that. “Look at me, Frank,” he demanded.

  
  
“F-fuck off,” I spat back at him. The words hardly left my lips before his mouth was covering mine, diving his tongue in to taste me. My eyes snapped open in surprise and that he immediately pulled back, meeting my eyes with his dark, clouded hungry ones. For a brief moment, I didn’t see Lucifer; I saw Gerard… and that was all it took. I moaned loudly as the tension came undone inside of me and I spilled heavily into his hand. He licked his lips and smiled smugly as I moaned shamelessly into the air as the euphoria rushed through me. His movement slowed a bit as I continued to cum into his hands, but he never faltered until the last of the aftershock made its way through my system and I felt like I melted into the seat of the cab.

  
  
Through half-lidded eyes, I could see his satisfied grin as he licked my cum off of his hand and pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe up the remains from my crotch and stomach. “You did good, Frank,” he commented as he discarded the handkerchief.

  
  
“Y-you just... “ I couldn’t even finish my thought. I felt disgusting. I felt used and taken advantage of. I was just sexual assaulted by the devil, but that wasn’t the worst part. I knew that Gerard would see what had happened. He would see that I let Lucifer use his body to pleasure me and that I succumbed to it. I wanted to get sick. I wanted to hurt Lucifer more so than I had previously, but I knew that I couldn’t. I was stuck, to be used as a pawn in his game until this was all over, and I seethed with rage over the very thought of it.

  
  
Lucifer’s teasing voice interrupted my thoughts once more. “Now, Frank, I know that you don’t like feeling helpless like that, but I think that we can both agree that this is what you needed.”

  
  
I was finally starting to get the feeling back in my body and I used all of the strength I had to turn my head and stare daggers at him, my lip quivering in hatred, which only seemed to amuse him.

  
  
“The next time that you and Gerard are thinking about getting intimate, I want you to remember this moment. I own you, Frank Iero. Nothing is going to change that, not even God himself, and certainly not a deceased artist from Jersey. Do you understand me?”

  
  
I swallowed thickly and turned away from him, not bothering to answer. I knew that as soon as opened my mouth, profanities would start pouring out and Lucifer would retaliate. I had to play it smart. I was so sick and tired of feeling used and I had to find a way to get both Gerard and myself out of this situation. My only problem was, how the fuck was I supposed to outsmart Satan?

  
  
He hummed happily at my lack of response, which I’m sure that he took as a sign of submission. He sat back into his seat, settling in for the remainder of the car ride.

 

I sighed heavily, revealing my frustration and waited while thinking tirelessly, trying to come up with some sort of plan. In less than half an hour we had arrived in a small area with boarded up buildings all around. While Lucifer was conversing with the driver I noticed that there were a few people walking around in shaggy clothes who seemed upset at our arrival, casting disapproving glances our way.

 

“Grazie,” Lucifer thanked the driver as he shut the door, watching as the taxi drove away. The people in the square started to whisper amongst each other, still obviously upset at our presence. I turned to Lucifer and was a bit surprised to see such a serious look on his face. “Stay close to me,” he ordered in a low voice. Even though I was still livid with him, I didn’t need telling twice. I allowed him to take my hand in his as he led the way through the square. I hated that I somewhat felt safe with him in this situation. I mean, what could possibly be more frightening than the Devil?

  
  
The people continued to eye us with disdain as we walked past and turned down a dark, shady alleyway. We walked for about five minutes before there was a clearing on the left side of the alley that led to a large abandoned looking warehouse, hidden among the towering stone buildings.  

 

“Where are–”

 

“Shhh,” he demanded, cutting me off. “Stay here.”

 

I pressed myself up against one of the stone buildings, crossing my arms while I watched him make his way into the front doors of the warehouse. Whatever his purpose was in that building, it couldn’t have been good, but I purposely tried not to think about it. Instead, my thoughts started to drift to Gerard and what the hell I was going to say to him the next time he emerged. I felt so guilty, and I didn’t know how I was going to explain myself.

  
  
Before I could think about it much longer, the doors to the warehouse burst open, followed by a kid, no older than 10 years old, running as fast as he could towards the alley. Lucifer was not far behind him, running at full speed, anger and determination written on his face as he called after him, “Come back here, you little shit!”

 

The boy didn’t get very far before Lucifer caught up to him and dragged him back over to where I was standing. “Let me go! I don’t know anything, I swear!” the child cried.

 

“Shut the fuck up!” Lucifer bellowed, smacking the boy across the face.

 

“Lucifer!” I snapped. “What the hell are you doing? He’s just a fucking kid!”

 

“Oh, he’s no child,” he said breathlessly, trying to get the boy to stand still underneath his grasp.

 

The boy turned to me, his eyes brimming with tears. “Sir! Please, help me! He’s crazy! I don’t know anything! I’m just trying to help my family!”

 

Without thinking, I pushed Lucifer back, somehow forcing myself between the two of them, holding the boy behind my back, away from Lucifer. “Stop it! What is wrong with you? You didn’t say anything about torturing kids, Lucifer! I will not be a part of that.”

 

Still panting, he pointed his finger at the boy, holding my gaze. “He’s _not_ a child!” I looked behind me into the fear-stricken eyes of the kid.

  
  
I looked back at Lucifer with disbelief before shouting, “Are you blind?!”

  
  
Lucifer rolled his eyes at me, taking a deep breath before replying. “He’s a demon, Frank; a demon that has information that I need.” His gaze fell to the boy behind me. “Where is he, Ornias? Tell me now, or so help me I will send you back to the bowels of hell where you emerged and you will rot for the remainder of eternity. Where is Father Amorth staying?”

 

“Please!” the boy begged as he fell to his knees, raising his hands in surrender. “Don’t kill me, and I promise to tell you… just please don’t hurt me!”

 

Lucifer grinded his teeth before spitting out, “You can drop the act, Ornias. You’re fooling no one.”

 

Ornias lowered his arms and stood up slowly. “I don’t mean to defy you, father, but I was afraid that you were coming to take me back to hell. I’m not ready!”

 

“Listen to me, you walking cretin. I will not say this again. Cease with this act and tell me what I need to know. Now.”

 

The boy’s demeanor changed instantly. What was once a trembling, frightened child was now a smirking, confident demon. His eyes glazed over with blackness as his little teeth grew sharp and jagged. “As you wish, master,” he spoke the last word laced with sarcasm before nodding his head in my direction. “First, I have to ask, who’s the Beauty Queen?”

 

“That’s none of your concern,” replied Lucifer, his eyes full of warning.

 

“Is he who I think he is? Is he… the one?” His eyes widened as they searched my face.

 

Lucifer’s eyes darted from me to Ornias. He shifted uncomfortably before subtly nodding his head. Ornias’ jaw dropped so suddenly, I thought it was going to fall right off of his face.

 

“You’re kidding!” He grabbed my hand and kissed it frantically. It would have been cute had he not been a frightening demon-child. I pulled my hand back awkwardly, rubbing away his saliva from the top of my hand with a grimace. “It’s an honor to make your acquaintance!”

 

“Ornias, leave him be and tell me where he is, I don’t have all night.”

 

“He’s part of the Diocese of Rome, and his church is-”

 

“I don’t give a fuck about his church or their organization. Where does he _stay_?” Lucifer asked, growing more and more impatient.

 

“Follow me,” Ornias insisted. “I’ll take you there; It’s not far from here.”

 

Ornias began leading the way while Lucifer and I followed him. Lucifer had placed his arm around my shoulder and whispered in my ear. “This isn’t going to be a joyous introduction, but I need you to cooperate, and stay quiet. You do what I tell you when I tell you to do it. Do you understand me?” I instinctively nodded my head. “Good boy,” he cooed, a smile tugging at his lips. “Should he chose to interact with you, do not engage. Whatever this man says to you, just ignore it. If everything goes smoothly, we’ll be in and out in a matter of minutes.”

 

I knew better than to trust him. Even though I made it seem like I was agreeing to everything he was saying, I had no intention of just sitting back and letting Lucifer take control over the situation. I had lost my patience long ago and I was done being his bitch.

 

Ornias halted suddenly in front of a small home, the windows darkened, the area only lit by a street light down the block.  “This is the place,” he assured us, staring up at the home with a vicious grin. I looked up at the cold-looking stone building, afraid of what was about to take place.

 

“Take your leave, Ornias,” Lucifer demanded without looking at him, his gaze instead held on the home. Ornias was more than happy to scurry away, leaving Lucifer and I alone in front of the little house. He took a few minutes to inspect the outside before we walked up to the door.

 

It was the middle of the night and I didn’t expect anyone to be awake, so I wondered if anyone would answer the door. He wasn’t having that. He kicked it open effortlessly and casually walked inside, brushing the dust off of his jacket. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned!” he declared loudly as he walked through the front room towards the stairs.

  
  
I was speechless. Surely whoever was here was awakened by the Lucifer’s obscenely noisy entrance. I stood behind him, unsure of what I was supposed to do as Lucifer started making his way up the stairs before turning sharply into a  little room where a man was sitting upright on a small bed in the dark.

 

“Chi è là? ( _Who’s there?_ )” he asked in Italian, panic in his voice. He quickly reached on his bedside table and lit a lantern. He was an older Italian man, probably in his late 60s, with pepper colored hair and dark circles under his eyes. His eyes widened at the sight of us. “Cos'è che vuoi? ( _What is it you want?_ )”

 

“Father Gabriele Amorth, I presume?” Lucifer smirked at the terrified expression on the man’s face. “Do not be so shocked to see me. You should have been expecting me. I am he who has come from the fiery inferno to claim what is rightfully mine. So tell me, Father - where is it?”

 

I didn’t think it was possible for the old man to look any more frightened, but I was wrong. “Y-You can’t be!” He hastily jumped up so that the bed was separating him and Lucifer. He reached on his wall to grab a hanging crucifix and held it out towards Lucifer. “You have no business here! Get out! The power of Christ-”

 

“Compels me? Oh, I don’t think so, Gabriele.” Lucifer shoved the bed out of the way and leapt forward, grabbing the cross from Amorth’s unsuspecting hands and hurled it across the room where it impaled the wall. He then gripped him by his shirt and flung him towards me. I didn’t have time to move, so he collided into me. We both fell backwards and onto the floor painfully.

 

For being an old man, he was surprisingly quick on his feet as he sprang up and turned around to look at whom he had fallen into. “Lord have mercy…” was all he spoke before Lucifer pulled him from behind and pinned him against the wall.

 

“My patience is wearing thin. Tell me where you have hidden it!” His eyes were blazing, the familiar fiery red and yellow prominently glaring at him and even from across the room, they scared me.

 

“Why is he here? You should not have brought him here! His purpose is not with you!” Amorth choked out. Both of their eyes fell upon me.

 

Lucifer slammed him harshly against the wall to make him stop talking. “I’m _making_ him my purpose. Don’t worry about him, tell me where it is, Amorth.”

 

“I have been sworn to protect it with my life! I will tell you nothing! God does not fear you, and neither do I!”

 

“Listen to me! I will make you experience pain so great, that you will be begging for death by the time I’m through with you. I’ll ask you one more time before I start inflicting _real_ pain on you. Where is it?”

 

They stared at each other intensely for a moment before Amorth said, “You’ll have to kill me, Devil. I will not tell you!”

 

Lucifer picked him up and threw him across the room as he did before. The old man landed on his nightstand, which collapsed beneath him from the force. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to step in.

 

I jumped across the bed and kneeled in front of the bleeding man, facing Lucifer. “Wait!” I shouted as he came at us.

 

“What did I tell you before we came in here, Frank? Get out of the way.” His voice was low and dangerous, but I didn’t budge.

 

“Just give me one minute,” I commanded, my eyes locked onto his.

 

“That’s not an option,” he snarled.

 

“ _Make_ it one,” I demanded. Without waiting for a reply, I turned towards the frightened man and rested my hand on his back. “Please,” I begged him. “Don’t make him hurt you. I can’t sit by and watch this. Do you really think that you can stop Satan? Please just tell him where the hell this thing is so we can go. You don’t have to die for this.”

 

With tears in his eyes, he leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “You don’t understand,” he began. “If he finds it, it means the end for us all. You of all people should not be here. He’s using you as leverage. Don’t let him control you.”

 

I put my lips directly next to his ear to whisper so low, that even Lucifer couldn’t hear me. “If there is anything that I can do to stop this, you can tell me, but otherwise I don’t see any other option. Tell me what I can do to stop this from happening.”

 

Of course, I didn’t know how I was supposed to keep Lucifer’s hidden powers away from him, but I was determined to do anything I could to stop whatever it was that he had planned. I knew that I was in over my head, but it was clear now that he needed me and that he wouldn’t kill me because I had a purpose.

 

He stared at me for a moment, before finally making up his mind. “No, I’m sorry. I cannot tell you.”

 

I couldn’t think of anything else to say to him. I got up and turned towards Lucifer. “Please, don’t kill him. Find someone else who knows where it is. You can’t expect me to just sit here while you kill someone. If you kill him, you’ll have to kill me.”

 

It was obvious how pissed off Lucifer was, so I was shocked that within a matter of seconds, his face turned from livid, to calm and collected. He sighed heavily, brushing the unkempt black locks out of his face before uttering, “Fine. Let’s go.” Something was off. I couldn’t believe that it was that easy. I must have more of a purpose with him than I thought. Or, at least, that’s what I foolishly told myself.

 

As we were exiting the room, the old man shouted from behind us, “Wait!” We both turned around to find that he was following us out of the door. He looked directly at me and whispered lowly, “Hear me, Frank Iero. May this guide you in your journey,” His looked quickly from me to Lucifer and then back at me. “It lies within the chamber of the descended,” was all he said.

 

“It lies within the chamber of the descended?” I repeated, confused as to what the fuck that was supposed to mean.

 

He nodded his head at me and began to turn around to go back into his room.

 

“It lies within, huh?” Lucifer cut in, abruptly grabbing Amorth from behind and turned him around. He quickly ripped open Amorth’s shirt and asked him, “You wouldn’t mind if I checked, would you?”

 

Suddenly, he held up the cross that he had previously taken from Father Amorth and plunged it into the old man’s chest. We both cried out, him from the pain and me from the shock. Lucifer forced the crucifix to slice down his sternum. He cast it aside and pulled apart the flesh he had just carved into before forcing his hand inside of his chest and proceeded to rip out his heart.

 

I felt lightheaded. I couldn’t believe what was occurring right before my eyes. The smell of blood filled the room, as Amorth’s cries of agony slowly died out. I fell back against the wall, unable to support myself anymore.

 

Lucifer held Amorth’s heart in front of his face and asked, “Where is your God to protect you now?” Amorth’s tear-streaked face soon relaxed as the life faded from his eyes. He died, right in front of me, blood gushing from his chest and pooling beneath him and Lucifer.

 

There was an odd noise ringing throughout the room as Lucifer threw down the lifeless man and his heart along with him. The sound was loud and it was something I had never heard before. It took me a minute to realize that the sound was coming from me. I was hyperventilating, screaming and sobbing, in a state of total shock from what had just happened. Lucifer started coming towards me, his face freckled with the other man’s blood and I crawled away from him, desperate to get away.

 

He soon caught me and tried to pull me to my feet, but I collapsed. “Frank, calm down! It’s okay! It’s over; it’s no big deal. Settle down!” I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was getting frustrated with me, but I couldn’t stop. I had never seen something so disturbing in my life. Sure, I had seen him kill my friend in a dream, but that was only a dream. I had just seen him tear out an innocent man’s heart right in front of my face.

 

“Oh Frank, you make me laugh,” he chuckled as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

 

“F-Fuck you!” I sobbed. “P-Put me down you psychotic s-son of a b-bitch!”

 

“I warned you that it wasn’t going to be any fun. Now calm down, let’s get you some rest and some food to calm your nerves.”

 

“I’m going to be sick,” I warned as I started gagging, the coppery scent of blood still lingering as he exited the house.

  
  
“You’re going to be fine, Frank. I’m going to take care of you.”

  
  
Before I could process anything more, my eyes rolled into the back of my head and I exhaled slowly before unconsciousness consumed me, allowing a temporary reprieve from this ongoing nightmare that never seemed to end.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is a bit of a mess, but I'm trying to tie it all together. It still has a long way to go and I have a lot planned for it, but please let me know your thoughts! I get a lot of inspiration from feedback, so don't hold back!


	10. Call Me When You're Sober

 

I couldn’t tell you how we ended up in the restaurant. I was in hysterics the whole way over while Lucifer carried me over his shoulder. The next thing I knew, I was sitting at a small table across from Lucifer in front of a restaurant with stringed lights decorating the awning above us. I looked around to register that we were not alone as there were several other people, mostly couples, sitting at the other tables around us, though some were dancing to the live string quartet and others were just mingling with their friends around the outside deck.

 

“Frank?” Fingers were suddenly snapping in front of my face. I flinched and looked into the mossy colored eyes of a cold-blooded murderer. I started to get up from the table, anxious to escape from him, but he caught my arm and pulled me back down to my seat. I wanted to run or shout or do something in defense, but I couldn’t even bring myself to speak. My panicked gaze fell onto the flickering candle on the table, trying to focus on its flame instead of reliving the terrifying images that were flashing through my mind.

  
  
Lucifer shook my shoulders, bringing me out of my trance before speaking, “Frank, just listen to me for a moment, okay? I’m sorry that you had to witness that. Truly, I am; but it had to be done. I won’t pretend that I didn’t find that enjoyable, but it is regrettable that you had to experience that part of my true nature. I do hope you realize that I would never have put you in that position had it not been a necessity. Can you comprehend that, Frank?”

 

I couldn’t help but wonder why he was suddenly being so gentle with me when he had never bothered with that before. I had also noticed that, thankfully, he had removed his blood-stained jacket and was now only in his black dress shirt, the top three buttons undone, revealing his chest underneath.

 

His eyes poured into mine as he waited for an answer that I wasn’t able to give. I was absolutely terrified, but I kept quiet. I couldn’t comprehend how I didn’t lose my mind sooner than now. During our time together in the past few days, he had become this annoying, childlike man that frightened me less and less with each passing day. I figured if I put up with him and his bizarre antics, then I would get through this in one piece. That was really the only thing that was keeping me sane throughout this whole crazed adventure. Sure, I had known who… or _what_ he was, but I had somehow gotten a little too comfortable with the idea that I was traveling with Satan.

 

I tried to push the horrifying memory of what had just happened out of my mind, but it was difficult. I had never been exposed to anything like that in my life. I had grown up in a small suburban town in Jersey. My family was the quiet, religious type who put me in a Catholic school. Sure, I was a rebellious little shit who had some crazy adventures of my own, but none of that compared to what I had been through since Lucifer had shoved himself into my life. I couldn’t help but think about what my mom would always tell me when I was a kid. She would say, “If you’re good, and you pray, the devil will never find you.” Uhh… you might want to check your facts, Mom. Not to say that I’m a saint, or that I have prayed as much as I should have, but I never thought that her words were _that_ literal.

 

“Now, now, Frank,” Lucifer cooed softly, interrupting my thoughts. He lifted his hand to wipe away a tear that I hadn’t realized was falling down my face. Normally, I would have pulled away, but I couldn’t find the motor skills to register from my brain to the rest of my body. I met his gaze after he wiped my face and shook embarrassingly as he smiled sympathetically at me.  “Can you be a good boy for me? Calm yourself, Frank. It’s all over now. Let’s get you something to eat and we’ll discuss our further actions. Sound good?”

  
  
When I didn’t answer, he laid his hot, steady hands on my chilled shaking hands, sighing heavily. I tried to flinch away from his touch, but again, nothing was working properly, which was probably a good thing because it probably would have just irritated and angered him, so instead I just simply nodded my head. “Good boy,” he praised softly, rubbing his thumbs over the tops of my hands.

 

I wasn’t really hungry, so I just let Lucifer order whatever he wanted. After requesting a fancy pasta dish he thought I’d like, he dazzled the waiter into a complimentary bottle of their most expensive wine. The waiter returned shortly and poured each of us a glass, to which Lucifer wasted no time in sampling. “You need more culture in your life, Frank. You’ve been forced to mingle with bottom feeders when you belong with the elite. I fully intend to spoil you with the life you deserve, starting with this glass of exquisite wine. Try it.”

  
  
“N-no,” I barely managed to mumble.

  
  
Lucifer audibly swallowed the wine that he was currently swishing in his mouth. He took a calming breath and set his glass down on the table. “That wasn’t a request, Frank. Drink the wine.”

  
  
I shook my head subtly, but firmly, not wanting anything that he was offering. My breath hitched as his eyes briefly turned the familiar fiery red and yellow as his patience began to wear thin. He tilted his head and gave me a challenging stare, his gentle demeanor vanishing as he spoke with false sweetness, “Do you really want a repeat of what you just witnessed? Do you enjoy when I threaten the lives of innocent people in order to force you to do what I ask? I’ve been more patient with you than I have ever been with any other human, Frank. Why do you continue to test me so?”

  
  
I continued to tremble under his gaze, my fighting spirit diminishing as I let his words sink in. “I… I-I’m sorry,” I whispered, avoiding his gaze.

  
  
He hummed, pleased with my submissive answer as I picked up the glass of wine in front of me and gulped it down in one go, to which Lucifer grimaced in response. A soothing warmth circulated throughout my body as the alcohol fell onto my empty stomach, already working its magic of clouding my mind, and dulling my senses. “You’re meant to enjoy the wine, Frank; not guzzle it,” he commented disapprovingly as he poured me another glass.

  
  
“I’m sorry,” I said again as I took another large sip of my second glass, hoping that it would help me forget the horrors of that night.

  
  
I continued to steadily nurse my glass while Lucifer refilled it yet again, watching me intently, not speaking. After my third glass of wine, I noticed that his attention was no longer on me, but on the people dancing to the string quartet on the deck. “They’re fascinating, aren’t they?” he commented after a moment.

  
  
“Hmm?” I asked, feeling the effects of the alcohol, my vision blurring slightly.

  
  
“Humans,” he answered bluntly. “So blissfully ignorant to the dangers of your world, as well as mine. They find the simplest things pleasurable. They venture through their short lives in search of something greater, thinking that there’s more meaning to life than simply living and dying. They’re wrong, of course, but it doesn’t stop them from aspiring to something greater. It is… fascinating,” he breathed the last word in awe. He then noticed me staring at him in bewilderment, which he then cleared his throat and spoke, “Of course, I still despise them. They’re loathsome creatures ‘made in God’s image’. Ha. Such ignorance…” he trailed off.

  
  
The food finally arrived and in my inebriated state, I was finally able to bring myself to eat, grateful for the sustenance. As I drunkenly stuffed my face, Lucifer continued to talk.  “I hope you’ve enjoyed Italy because now we have to return to America.”

 

I nearly choked on my oversized bite of noodles. “What?! Wait… so you’re saying that we came all this way just to talk to one man? And then kill him? That was the plan all along?” I could hear the unsteadiness in my voice. I was still shaken up, and I tried to keep my voice steady, but I was failing. Luckily, the wine was giving me confidence that I had previously lost after the incident with Father Amorth.

 

He grinned widely at my reaction. “Believe it or not, we obtained more information out of this trip than I had originally anticipated. I still have a client to meet with in the morning, so no, it was not just for one man. Don’t worry your pretty little head, Frankie. I would think that you’d be pleased to hear that we’re going back so soon.”

 

“I am,” I insisted, “but it’s just hard to believe that we would come all this way just to hear eight words from one man. You’d actually consider that a clue? He said that only I would understand it, and I don’t so I would think that we’re at a loss.”

 

His grin contorted into a malevolent wry smile. “‘ _We’re_ at a loss’? I never thought I’d hear that from you. Are you actually suggesting that you and I are working together to obtain my power, Mr. Iero?” That wasn’t the case at all. My confidence was faltering as I debated on what I was to do from there. Originally, I was determined to find whatever he was looking for before he did so that I could stop him from getting what he wanted and maybe even convince him to let Gerard live, but after seeing what he was so easily capable of, I had to rethink things.

  
  
It was one thing for him to torment me like he had been doing. I could live with that. It wasn’t ideal, but I didn’t really expect this adventure to end well for me anyway after witnessing Lucifer’s obsession with me, but what if he decided to use my family or friends against me? What if my defiance got my loved ones killed because I was too stubborn to play my part in his plan?

  
  
No, I couldn’t let that happen. I didn’t know if it was the wine talking or my hidden inner strength, but I had to get the fuck over myself. Lucifer was going to alter the entire world. He made his disgust for humans evident and if he got his power back, who knows what that would mean for Earth? I knew what the right choice was, as much as it terrified me. It was a long shot, and I knew it, but I was still going for it. I had a part to play now and I had to play it convincingly.

 

“Well, I figure that the faster I help you find your hidden power, the faster I can go home and continue my life the way it was before you came into it.” I was pleased with how much stronger my voice was getting. Thank you, alcohol and delicious Italian pasta.

 

He chuckled as he replied, “I see. Your confidence in what your future holds for you is entertaining at best.” I chose to ignore his statement as he continued, “Well, to answer your previous questions, those eight words from Father Amorth were very unexpected, however, he was wrong to assume that you would be the only one to understand them, which is why we’re headed back to America.”

 

“Care to elaborate?” I hiccuped at the excess of wine still clouding my mind.

 

“We have to go to New York. Queens, to be exact.”

 

“What? Why? What’s in Queens?”

 

Ignoring my question, Lucifer’s gaze fell back onto the couples dancing slowly to the romantic music flowing through the open square by the string quartet on the outside deck. He turned back towards me and surprised me by holding out his hand and asking, “Would you care to dance?”

 

I immediately shook my head. Not only was I a terrible dancer, but also, I wasn’t going to dance with the Devil. No fucking way. I could barely form sentences anyway, let alone dance with any form of coordination.

 

“Oh, come now, Frank,” he pleaded. “How many chances are you going to get to dance to this beautiful music in Italy with such fine company?”

 

I knew that this wasn’t a fight that I was going to win, so I sighed heavily, took another large sip of wine, and nodded my head. He smiled widely as I placed my hand in his, allowing him to pull me up from the table. To my embarrassment, I stumbled immediately, to which he promptly caught me and held me tightly to his chest. “I’ve got you, Frank,” he cooed as he led me towards the other dancing guests.

  
  
“I-I’m not… I don’t-,” I stuttered, trying to inform him that I don’t dance.

  
  
He chuckled, seeming to read my mind and said, “That’s alright. Just follow my lead.”

 

He wasn’t shy about wrapping his hand around my waist and swaying gently while leading me around in slow circles. It was awkward, to say the least. I tried not to think about tonight’s events while I allowed my hand to rest on his side, while the other was firmly grasped in his hand. I was dancing with a murderer. A killer. The god damned Devil for fuck’s sake.

 

Lucifer seemed to notice that I was lost in thought, so he lowered his head directly in front of mine, forcing my eyes to stop wandering while I was thinking and instead focusing onto his. He smirked and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

 

Thinking fast, impressively so considering how intoxicated I was, I replied, “I’m thinking about how tired I am and how I can’t wait to climb into a bed and pass out to get some relief from this fucked up day.”

 

“Well, you can rest your head on me for a bit, if you’d like.” He must have read my confusion and hesitance because he then placed his hand on the back of my neck and uncharacteristically gently guided my head to lay it on his chest so that I was leaning up against him as he slowly swayed back and forth. My mind was going crazy. I was disgusted, but at the same time grateful. Oh my god, this was insane. I should just lift my head up and tell him to go fuck off, but I couldn’t. I was oddly comforted and I hated myself for that, especially considering he was the cause of my hysteria in the first place.

 

I noticed that he smelled really good. It was as if he was wearing some cologne or body spray of some sort, which was strange to me because I didn’t know that Satan would bother with that sort of thing. I guess if I were wearing a deceased body I’d want to put in the extra effort to smell good, but Lucifer had insisted that Gerard’s body had been completely restored to health, so what would the devil need to smell good for anyway? Unless, of course, he was just doing it for my benefit. Or maybe it was just the way Gerard smelled.

 

Fuck… Gerard. Guilt washed over me like a tidal wave in an instant. I had to find a way to get him out. I didn’t even consider what would happen if I were to win against Lucifer. I mean, I knew that Gerard wanted his life back, but how would that work? His friends and family buried him. It’s a well-known fact that this man is dead. How could it be possible to just put him back in the middle of society again?

  
  
Despite everything that was working against us, I had to try and do this for him. The poor guy was alone, trapped inside of his own body with a celestial murderer hidden in there with him. On top of that, I was beginning to form feelings for him, which probably wasn’t the best idea, but it happened, and I had to figure out a way to deal with that on top of everything else.

 

That was when I started to snap back to reality. Why the hell was I just sitting here dancing with the evil being who was tormenting Gerard and myself? Had I really given into his request so easily because I was tired and drunk? I had to get my bearings back and get myself out of this situation.

 

I lifted up my head and pulled away from him, refusing to meet his eyes.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice laced with concern, which surprised me.

 

“No, I, uh… I really need sleep. I’m sorry, but I can barely stand anymore. Is there a hotel or something nearby?”

 

He took a moment before answering, which caused me to finally meet his gaze. If I didn’t know any better I would swear that he almost looked disappointed. “Yes, I’ve already had us checked into one. I had Ornias check us in and drop off our bags.”

 

“Okay, well, I really need to sleep. Can we go?”

 

“Yes, of course,” he answered quietly. “Let’s go.”

 

Once we arrived at the hotel, I was pleasantly taken aback to see that Lucifer had gotten a room with two beds. I had fully expected him to have rented out the honeymoon suite or something as equally suggestive.

  
  
I didn’t waste any time in falling onto the bed, still very inebriated and closing my eyes on top of the blankets. I heard Lucifer chuckle lightly but was too exhausted to question it. However, that didn’t last long as he approached my bed and sighed. “Frank, you can’t sleep like that.”

  
  
“Like what?” I mumbled into the pillow, unconcerned with if he heard me or not.

  
  
I barely registered the bed sinking down as he sat beside me. Before I knew it, I felt him untying my shoes and removing them from my feet. “Turn over,” he commanded tenderly. I groaned in refusal like a child before I felt his strong hands forcing me on my side as he started to unbuckle my belt.

  
  
My eyes snapped open as I pushed his hand away. “What are you doing?!”

  
  
“I’m not seducing you,” he insisted. “Not yet, anyway. I need you to rest comfortably before tomorrow’s travels, and you can’t do that lying on top of these expensive sheets in your filthy clothes. Remove them.”

  
  
I rolled my eyes and fell back onto the bed, mumbling into the pillow, “I don’t care if they’re filthy. Leave me alone.”

  
  
“I won’t say it again, Frank. Remove your clothes. Now.”

  
  
I huffed in annoyance as I quickly pulled off my socks, jeans, and shirt, only leaving on my boxers before lifting my arms up at him defiantly and asking sarcastically, “Happy?”

  
  
He pursed his lips at me, watching me intently as I pulled the blankets back and nestled in between them, pissed off at how exquisite the sheets felt against my bare torso as Lucifer knew they would.

 

As tired as I was, I couldn’t fall asleep right away. It was uncomfortable having Lucifer there awake and watching me as I tried to sleep. I turned around in my bed to find him lying in the bed next to mine, fully clothed, and still staring at me.

 

“Can’t you just pretend to sleep?” I asked, annoyed.

 

“That seems to be a vast waste of my time,” he commented candidly.

  
  
“And creepily staring at me while I try to sleep isn’t a waste of your time?” He snickered at me and turned his head towards the ceiling instead.

 

I sighed loudly and also turned my attention to the ceiling, staring at the intricate patterns scattered across it, finally starting to drift off to sleep.

 

“What’s sex like?” he asked, breaking the silence, and making me quickly alert.

 

I turned back towards him, wide-eyed in disbelief. “Excuse me?”

 

“Sex, Frank. What’s it like?”

 

“Give me a fucking break,” I scoffed. “You know what sex is.”

 

“That’s correct, I do know what sex is, but I want to know what it’s like to actually have sexual intercourse with your partner. I know that it is supposed to be very enjoyable, but I want you to tell me why.”

 

I propped myself up on my elbow, still staring at him with incredulity. “Are you telling me that you’ve never had sex before? That’s impossible, you’ve seduced me in my dreams and you fucking blew me in the cab earlier.”

 

He didn’t move. He just continued to stare upward from his bed. “I’m the Devil, Frank. I don’t typically have access to a physical body. Sex isn’t a common pastime in hell like it seems to be here on Earth. And as I’ve mentioned to you before, I was able to physically please you today in the cab because of the mechanical knowledge of Gerard’s mind. I know how to provide pleasure to humans, but that doesn’t mean that I have experienced the act for myself. What happened this morning was my first time performing a sexual act on a human.”

 

“Bullshit,” I accused. “You’ve been around since practically the beginning of time and you’re saying that you’ve never had sex?”

 

“Every time I’ve been able to obtain a body on earth, sex isn’t usually my first concern,” he said defensively. “I only have the power to access a body once every few millennia or so. I don’t often have time to spare fraternizing with your vile species. It’s not ever something that appealed to me.”

 

“So why are you thinking about it now?”

 

He paused taking longer than usual to respond, which unnerved me. “Well, we’re just laying here without any form of entertainment, and to be quite honest, I’m bored. I thought that maybe now would be a good time to experience it.”

 

It took me a minute to realize what he was saying in my exhausted state of mind. “Are you seriously implying that you want to have sex with me?”

 

“If I were to request that, would you?”

 

My jaw dropped. “Hell fucking no!” I insisted, raising my voice. “You’ve got to be out of your fucking mind! After all of the shit you’ve put me through, you seriously expect me to just push all of that aside so you can experience sex? Fuck you! If you want sex, I’m sure there’s a someone out there desperate enough to oblige you.”

 

He smiled, amused at my outburst, which I was grateful for since I had lost my temper yet again. “Isn’t sex supposed to be with someone you care about?” he asked innocently. “It wouldn’t be as intimate if I were to do it with a stranger.”

 

“Sex can be with whoever you want it to be with, but regardless, that’s never going to happen with us, Lucifer. People have sex with strangers all the time, so go beg someone else for it.” I threw the covers over my head and turned away from him, letting him know that I was done discussing the subject.

 

I panicked for a moment, thinking that I had been too aggressive and angered him as I waited for a response. After a few moments, I heard him mutter, “As I’ve mentioned before, I do not need your permission, Frank. My request was simply a courtesy, but seeing as how you’re clearly exhausted, I’ll wait.”

 

I didn’t know what he meant by that, but I was too tired to really think about it. I was relieved that within minutes of that bizarre conversation, I finally fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

I had no idea what time it was when I began to stir in my sleep, repositioning myself into a more comfortable position when I heard Lucifer making noise from somewhere in the room. I don’t even remember exactly what he said because I was still halfway asleep, but I recall hearing something along the lines of, “Going to meet my client”. I should have been more concerned and asked questions about his alleged meeting, but my exhaustion consumed me, so I kept my mouth shut, turned over and welcomed the soft, cushiony feeling of my pillow until I drifted back to sleep.

 

I wasn’t worried about his absence until a couple of hours later when I woke up and realized that Lucifer was nowhere to be seen, which I wasn’t exactly complaining about, but was still alarmed that he had actually left me alone for the first time since taking me against my will. It was nice to be unaccompanied without his constant suggestive flirting and terrifying demeanor. However, my alone time was short-lived. I had barely showered and gotten dressed before Lucifer burst through the door clutching his chest and panting heavily, hastily running to the bed to lean on for support.   

 

“Lucifer? What’s going on?” I asked, stunned at his pained expression.

 

His eyes went black as he started growling lowly in agony, clutching the bedpost, causing it to crack and splinter under his strength. “He’s… fucking… agh!”

  
  
I started to walk towards him, but he held his hand out signaling for me to keep my distance. He then fell to his knees, holding his head in his hands. It had only occurred to me then what was probably happening to him, so I stood back and waited in silence.

 

Eventually, his breathing slowed and his tense body relaxed and he repositioned himself to sit on the floor, resting his back against the bed. When he lifted his head and met my gaze I immediately knew who was staring back at me. I could now distinctly see Gerard’s kind, worried eyes staring into mine.

 

“Frank,” he began, his voice hoarse with pain. His eyes grew wide at the sight of me and he began to abruptly stand up, stumbling in a bit in the process as his knees shook from weakness. He always seemed so drained of energy every time he fought his way through Lucifer’s hold on him. “I-I know everything! I know what Lucifer has planned!”

 

“Whoa, Gerard, take it easy. Give yourself a minute to adjust,” I insisted, coming to his aid.

 

“No, there’s no time! I was awake when Lucifer was talking to him!” His voice was filled with hysteria, uneasiness, and dread. Whatever he heard couldn’t have been good.

 

“When Lucifer was talking to who? What are you talking about?”

 

He leaned on the wall for support as he wiped a layer of sweat from his forehead, catching his breath before he continued. “When Lucifer told you that he was going to meet a ‘client’, he lied to you. He was meeting another reverend who was giving him information on the clergy who helps protect his power.”

  
  
I blinked a few times as he stared at me, waiting for me to comment. “I… Okay? Umm… why is that important? That was the whole point of being here, right?”

  
  
Gerard swallowed hard as he almost looked hesitant to continue. “Listen, who the guy is isn’t important. Lucifer was using him as a pawn for information. Frank… you’re in way over your head. What Lucifer has planned… you can’t stop him. No one can.”

  
  
“How do you know? What did the reverend say?”

  
  
Gerard walked away from the wall and started pacing around the room, becoming more frantic and panicky, which unnerved me further. He had been so calm during this whole ordeal, something must have spooked him into this state. “Lucifer believes that the phrase, ‘It lies within the chamber of the descended’ means that his power is being kept within some coffin in a graveyard in Queens. That’s why he wants to go there.” He looked at me nervously, waiting for a response.

 

“Well, that’s… interesting.” I couldn’t really find the right words for it. “Is that everything he said? Is that the whole plan? Why would that mean that mean that I’m in over my head?”

 

He bit his lip while his eyes darted from me to the floor. “No, there’s more, but… fuck, Frank. I-I can’t…”

 

I walked closer to him, resting my hand on his shoulder. “Look, if there’s something you think that I should know, you need to tell me. After all that we’ve been through, do you really think that I can’t handle a little bad news?” I knew that it was probably more significant than that. It had to be if he was this upset about it, but I had to be calm for the both of us.

 

He reached for my hand on his shoulder and held it gently in his, giving me a troubled look. “It’s just… I know why you’re so important to Lucifer. I know why he chose you out of everyone else to keep you at his side while he looks for his power.”

 

I stared at him skeptically. “So, you’re saying that there’s more to it than my good looks and charm?”

 

The corners of his lips lifted slightly at my attempt to lighten the situation, but I could tell by the look on his face that he was tormented by what he had heard. “Frank, I’m just worried that once I tell you, you’ll start to think about yourself differently. I don’t want that for you.”

  
  
“I understand, Gerard, and I appreciate you trying to protect me, but if I have any hope of surviving this, I need to know what Lucifer has planned and why it is that I’m so important to him. Please, tell me. It will be okay, I promise.”

  
  
He still hesitated at my words, opening his mouth briefly and shutting it just as quickly before giving me an apologetic look. I gave him a wry smile before taking the opportunity to slowly close the gap between us and kiss him softly… or, at least, what I thought would be soft, because as soon as our lips touched, a fire ignited between the both of us. The kiss became hot, heavy, and desperate as we clung to one another, tongues exploring every crevice of each other’s mouths. I tried to memorize the taste of him, as he swallowed my moans. I could have stayed like that forever until he pulled away too quickly for my liking.

  
  
“W-what's wrong?” I panted, confused as to his sudden aversion.

  
  
“Lucifer,” he answered quickly with a pained expression on his face. “I remember what he did to you… in the cab, as well as what he said to you, Frank.”

  
  
“Oh,” I answered, my eyes shifting to the floor in shame and embarrassment.

  
  
He lifted my chin to meet his eyes, which were filled with an anguished kindness. “It’s okay, Frank. It wasn’t your fault, but until you hear what I have to say, I don’t think that we should continue.”

  
  
I swallowed hard as he sighed heavily, clearly still not wanting to tell me what it is that I needed to hear. “Please don’t forget who you are, okay? You’re still Frank Iero and no one can take that from you.”

 

I nodded, waiting for him to continue, bracing myself for whatever far-fetched explanation he was about to tell me as to why I was here. “Frank… you are the last remaining descendant of the archangel, Michael.”

 

I couldn’t help it. My mouth curved up slowly and I tried to bite my lip to keep from laughing, but I couldn’t stop a small chortle from escaping. “Okay, Gerard,” I replied sardonically.

 

He looked a bit insulted at my response. “Frank, I’m serious. That’s what Lucifer’s discussion was about and it all makes sense.”

 

Still smiling, I asked, “Care to elaborate on that?”

 

“Let’s, uhh… let’s sit down,” he suggested, motioning to the bed. We both sat on the cushioned surface as he once again took my hand in his before continuing. “Michael is God’s warrior. He was the one that was in charge of the crusade to strip away Lucifer’s grace and condemn him to hell. Because of who you are, and the essence that you possess, you have passage to places where regular people, demons, and even Lucifer can’t go.”

 

I started to become irrationally angry. This was bullshit. This couldn’t possibly be true and I’m sure he could tell what I was thinking by the look on my face. “Let me ask you this,” he continued. “Have you ever felt oddly protected? Unstoppable in a way? Like you could do whatever you wanted without the threat of death looming over you?”

 

As fucked up as it sounds… I had. I always thought that I was just a cocky little shit, so I never really put much thought into it, but that didn’t mean anything significant.

 

He didn’t wait for my response before he continued. “Lucifer told the reverend that apparently you unknowingly have a connection to the angels. I guess if you ever really needed to get a hold of one, you could. You’re on their high alert watch list. You can’t die, Frank. At least, not until you’re called upon by them or one of them kills you themselves.”

 

I shook my head in denial “No, Gerard. That’s not…  that’s impossible.”

 

He dismissed my statement and continued, “He plans to use you as leverage for the angels. He’s using you to help find where his grace is being contained because only you can get to it because of your essence. Once you retrieve it, Lucifer will have his grace and he’ll use you to gain entrance back into Heaven. If they won’t let him back into Heaven, he plans on killing you. He has it in his mind that they would never allow him to kill Michael’s last descendant. You’re too important to them.”

 

I could feel my body going numb, the blood starting to drain from my face as he continued speaking. So this was it. This was why Lucifer chose me. This couldn’t be true. I couldn’t possibly be some angel’s relative. “Wait… so doesn’t that make me Lucifer’s nephew or some shit like that?”

  
  
Gerard shook his head. “Apparently not. Genealogy doesn’t work the same with angels as it does with humans. Michael and Lucifer are brothers in a sense, but nothing biological that would genetically tie you to Lucifer, which is why I guess he feels comfortable enough to… uhh… desire you, for lack of a better word.”

  
  
I huffed in doubt, wanting like hell to believe that none of this was real, but it all strangely made sense, as much as I wanted to deny it.

 

Still grasping my hand firmly, rubbing small comforting circles with his thumb, Gerard proceeded to explain, “If he were to gain entrance back into Heaven, there would be hell to pay. Literally. The battle of good and evil, Lucifer and God would take place in Heaven and eventually Lucifer plans to rule Heaven and he will make sure that all life on earth, God’s greatest creation will be exterminated.”

 

I wasn’t sure what the look on my face was, but it must have been something similar to that of terror and disbelief. “Sounds pretty far-fetched, doesn’t it? Like a really corny plot for a TV-movie or a badly written fan fiction.”

 

His attempt at a joke didn’t amuse me. I was left speechless as I gazed at the floor, lost in thought. Was this going to be the end of the world? Gerard was right. We were in way over our heads. We couldn’t stop this. I could only imagine what the world would be like if Lucifer won the inevitable war.

 

I suddenly felt calloused fingertips caressing my cheek, pulling me back to reality. I turned to face him and look into his eyes, sullen with concern. His hand then wrapped around the back of my head as he pulled my face towards his and our lips collided once more. I was captivated by him instantly as his mouth covered mine, eradicating any worries that I previously had.

  
  
I pulled back briefly, memorizing the way his eyes darkened with lust and want as they stared back into mine. “Gerard,” I uttered softly. “Please… ” He smiled at my unspoken request and forced his lips on mine once more as we became lost in each other, desperately clinging to one another to forget about everything around us, even if only for a moment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the truth has been revealed about Frank. Or... has it? Let me know your thoughts!


	11. Lose Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for allowing me to reach 100 comments, 100 kudos and almost 1,500 views! That's CRAZY! I'm so humbled to have so many wonderful people taking the time to read my fic. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, left kudos or just stopped by to read! I really appreciate all of the support and feedback. 
> 
> This next chapter is my gift to all of you. Spoiler: It's pretty much 7k words of smut with a lot of fluff in between. I don't know how long I'll continue this story, but with feedback like this, I'll have to make it worthwhile.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

As soon as our lips made contact, it was as though nothing else was relevant and everything bad that had happened over the past few days melted away. None of that was as important as this moment. It was a new sensation that I had never come across. The only thing that mattered was that I was there with him and that he seemed to want me just as much as I wanted him.

 

I had fallen for Gerard Way somewhere along the way of this horrendous experience. It didn’t take long for me to realize how strong my feelings were for him. However, even with that newfound adoration, I couldn’t suppress the uncertainty nagging at me. In all honesty, I barely knew him. We had really only spent a few days together, and half of that time was spent with Lucifer. How could I already be so attached to someone that was still basically a stranger to me?

 

“Gerard,” I began as I reluctantly broke the passionate kiss and gingerly pushed him away, “We shouldn’t do this.”

 

He took a moment to inspect my face, trying to determine why I was so hesitant. He then sighed as his gaze fell to the floor and he ran his fingers through his hair nervously before speaking again. “Frank, you… I care for you. I don’t know exactly what it is that I feel for you, but whatever it is, it’s powerful. I feel very protective of you and I just want to keep you safe. I guess, in a way, I feel like this is my last chance to do something good in my life while I’m still here."

  
  
I gave him a sympathetic look as he continued, "Lucifer could be done with me at any moment, and then I’ll just go back to being dead. I know that we haven’t had much time to talk and you hardly know me, but I’ve been here with you the whole time. I’m more awake inside Lucifer now and I can see everything. I can see you,” he said while pushing a strand of hair from my face as his eyes rested on mine.

 

His words washed over me like a hurricane, which only made me desire him more. I realized that ever since I discovered that Gerard was still awake inside Lucifer, I had been more concerned for Gerard’s safety than my own. I had been worrying constantly over whether or not he was going to be okay after being used by Lucifer. It made me curious as to why we were both just so naturally concerned for each other.

 

“I feel the same way about you, and I’m obviously attracted to you, but I don’t know if this is a good idea. I want you… so badly, but it feels wrong knowing that Lucifer can see what’s happening between us. I don’t want him to take his aggression out on you any more than he already has.”

 

He then gripped my hand in his and began stroking the topside of my hand with his thumb tenderly. The simple gesture calmed me as I squeezed his hand reassuringly in return. “I’m here, Frank. Lucifer may be in here as well, but I’m not giving up. When you look into these eyes, remember that they’re not Lucifer’s, they’re mine. Lucifer has already taken so much from me. Please, don’t let him take this away too… whatever _this_ is,” he grinned and lifted my hand to brush his lips against the top of it lightly.

 

I smiled weakly at him, wanting more than anything to give in, but I still had a troubling thought. “Gerard, Lucifer can see and hear _everything_ that you do. What do you think he’s going to do when he finds out about all of this, including the fact that you pretty much revealed his entire plan?”

  
  
Gerard wrinkled his forehead and pursed his lips in speculation before replying, “I’m sure that he won’t be happy about me telling you everything he talked to the reverend about, but he can go suck a big one because I don’t give a fuck.”

 

I chuckled, knowing that he was probably just putting on a brave face, but I’m sure that the expectation of Lucifer’s retaliation frightened him just as much as it did me. “You said that you were more ‘awake’ in Lucifer now. Do you still feel like you’re fading away? It seems like you’re getting stronger, which is awesome, but what does that mean?”

 

“Yes, and that really did scare me. I had originally just accepted it because I didn’t know what the fuck was happening to me. One minute I was dead, and the next I was being possessed by the Devil. I was ready to give up and I was ready to let Lucifer have me, but along the way, I changed my mind, and I have you to thank for that. You made me realize that living was worth the fight, even if it’s just until Lucifer is finished with me. Once I decided that it was like I was a whole different person. I think Lucifer realized it as well, which is why he’s trying so hard to keep us apart. It’s difficult to describe…” he trailed off as his eyes started to glaze over in thought.

 

“You don’t need to explain. I’m just glad you’re here.” He gave me a reassuring smile before I rested my head on his shoulder. I smiled to myself as I felt him lean over to place a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Gerard?”

  
  
“Hmm?”

  
  
I lifted my head and met his curious hazel eyes with my own conflicted ones. There was so much that I wanted to say to him but couldn’t find the right words.

  
  
I never got the chance to speak as Gerard closed the gap between us and kissed me fiercely, hungrily moving his lips against mine with a desperate, unspoken need.

  
  
Again, I pushed him away with a smile playing on my lips. “Are you _trying_ to piss him off?”

  
  
The fire in his eyes answered my question before his lips did. “Absolutely.”

 

Without further warning, his mouth enveloped mine and he impatiently shoved me back on the bed. I let out a shocked gasp as my back hit the sheets and he lay on top of me, his weight pinning me down, which caused a stir in my groin.

  
  
I moaned against his lips as his tongue begged for entry, to which I happily accepted. I relished in his taste as he explored my mouth once more before he eagerly took my bottom lip in between his teeth and pulled gently, releasing it shortly after to place soft kisses along my jawline while I breathed heavily with arousal.

  
  
My hands worked their way down to his pants as I tried to make quick work of unbuckling his belt. I was stopped when he placed his hands over mine and asked, “Frank… are you sure? I don’t want to pressure you into anything.”

  
  
I kissed him tenderly and nudged his hands away to continue undoing his belt. “Yes,” I breathed against his lips. “I’m more than sure. I want you.”

  
  
He bit his lip and groaned as he lifted off of me and leaned back, removing his jacket before laying down on the bed, his eyes blown with desire and lust.

  
  
After removing his belt, I slowly started to unzip his pants, purposely running my palm over the obvious bulge inside of them as I did so, earning a breathy moan from his swollen lips, still coated in saliva. I smiled at his desperate state as I hiked his pants down his hips, just enough to allow his strained cock to spring free of its confinement.

  
  
I stumbled off of the bed and fell to my knees onto the carpet before pulling him closer to the edge of the bed for easier access. I angled myself over him and kissed each side of his hip bones as he arched his back with anticipation. Just to be a dick, I opened my mouth and blew air over his tip, causing him to sit up and glare at me. “Seriously, Frank? You’re going to be a fucking tease? I’m dead, have some sympathy.”

  
  
I chuckled darkly as I pressed on his chest, forcing him to lay back on the bed once more. “Don’t complain or you won’t get anything at all.” He bit his lip and nodded his head in fervent agreement as I positioned my mouth over his fully erect cock once more.

  
  
I allowed the tip of my tongue to lightly run over his slit in small kitty licks, causing Gerard to inhale deeply, but he didn’t complain or move. With a little more force, I ran my tongue along the vein underneath his cock. I felt his body tremble as I took each of his balls into my mouth, one by one, sucking gently while pumping him slowly, barely causing any friction. He whimpered eagerly as I continued nuzzling against his balls, reveling in the effect it was having on him.

  
  
I figured that I had teased him enough at that point, and was getting impatient myself, realizing how much I wanted to please him. Abruptly, I engulfed the head of his dick, sucking harshly as he pushed his hips forward, desperate for more contact. “Fuck, Frank. Oh my god… feels so fucking good. Please…” he begged as I took more of his cock into my mouth.

 

I hummed in approval as I circled the head of his length with my tongue, digging into the slit, to which Gerard choked on his breath and moaned loudly in approval. I hollowed my cheeks and started to deep throat him, swallowing his length as his head hit the back of my throat. I gagged a bit and felt the tears welling up in my eyes, but I kept going, knowing how good it was making him feel.

  
  
“Oh, fuck. Mmph, Frank, god… yes, just like that,” he urged as I sucked him harder, grazing the underside of his cock with my teeth.

  
  
I knew he was close when he grabbed my hair roughly. His back was arched severely and he was trembling with loss of control. Suddenly, I felt the familiar blissful sensation that he now knew how to use with ease. I choked on his dick, not expecting the attack on my groin as I pulled off of him, earning a whine from the loss of contact. Once his hand stopped gripping my hair, the feeling ceased and I sat back, panting while I continued to stroke him slowly with my hand. “Gerard, fuck- don’t do that. I want this to be about you.”

  
  
“Fuck, Frankie,” he breathed as I stroked him faster, squeezing my hand slightly and flicking my thumb over his heavily leaking slit. “I-I want you to cum with me. Please, let me help you,” he gasped, struggling to form coherent sentences.

  
  
I groaned outwardly at his request and couldn’t find a reason to protest. I undid my own pants and pulled out my erect dick, giving it a couple of pumps as I enveloped Gerard’s thick cock once more, making obscene slurping noises as I bobbed my head up and down over his length.

 

After a few moments, his hand once again gripped my hair and the unbelievable pleasure continued to surge through me. I started to lose my rhythm as the feeling became rapidly overwhelming, but I was still focused enough to flick my tongue in all the right spots, causing Gerard to moan loudly, only increasing my drive to bring him over the edge.

  
  
Not long after that, I felt his dick twitch inside my mouth, his hot cum lining the back of my throat with each heavy spurt. He cried out as his orgasm consumed him, “Frank, shit! Oh my god…”

  
  
It was as if his release heightened his powerful abilities because as he was spilling himself into my mouth, the pleasurable sensation escalated immensely, instantly bringing me over the edge. I pulled myself off of his length and shamelessly moaned in bliss as my own orgasm ripped through me.

  
  
When I was done emptying my load onto the carpet, I took Gerard’s softening length into my mouth once more to lick up any remnants that I may have left behind when I had to pull off. He gasped lightly as I sucked him, weak from his release and oversensitized.

  
  
I stood up from the edge of the bed and fell back onto the sheets next to him, admiring the way his chest rose and fell calmly. The light was glaring off of his forehead due to the sheen of sweat that had formed and a smile was playing on his lips as his eyes remained closed with euphoric contentment.

  
  
He must have felt me staring at him because he opened his eyes and grinned widely when he turned to me. “Thank you,” he whispered as he leaned in and placed a tender kiss on my lips. “God, Frank… you’re incredible.”

  
  
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I responded with a wink.

  
  
He sighed heavily, still smiling before he snickered mischievously. “What?” I asked, admiring his giddiness.

  
  
“Lucifer is gonna be pissed.”

  
  
I shouldn’t have laughed, but I couldn’t help it. The thought of Lucifer losing his shit over what just happened filled me with a vindictive thrill. “Probably… but, luckily for you, you won’t have to deal with it. I’m the one who has to listen to him bitch about how he doesn’t like it when you and I are intimate.”

  
  
Gerard sighed again, less enthusiastically this time, and extended his arm to caress my chest over my shirt. “Oh, I’ll still hear about it, trust me.”

  
  
“What do you mean? Does he talk to you in there?”

  
  
He hummed in agreement, still focused on his hand rubbing my chest. “Sort of, I guess. It’s more of an unpleasant sensation than actual words. I can feel it now. He’s not pleased, but he’s too weak to do anything about it. He’ll build up strength and break through again eventually, but until then, I just want to enjoy this.”

  
  
I smiled sympathetically and pressed my lips to his, still not able to get enough physical contact. “Okay,” I whispered against his lips before continuing to kiss him fervently. I started to feel the familiar heat start to build up in my crotch as I pressed myself against him eagerly.

 

He must have been feeling the same way because he chuckled and pulled back. “Your libido is impressive,” he teased. “But we really should get going. Lucifer already booked a flight to New York and it leaves in a couple of hours. I really don’t want to give him another reason to lash out.”

  
  
I groaned and huffed in annoyance. I knew he was right, but I hated how much influence Lucifer still had over us, even when he wasn’t present. “Yeah, okay. Let’s go.”

  
  
The ride to the airport was silent, but not uncomfortable. Something about Gerard’s presence just soothed me and I enjoyed being in his company. I would catch him staring at me out of the corner of my eye and when I made eye contact, he would always smile adoringly at me. It was almost overwhelming how affectionate and caring he was.

  
  
It was a relief going through customs at the airport without having to worry about Lucifer stopping to flirt with everyone he could in order to get complimentary VIP treatment. It made for an awkward situation and he had no problems with using people in order to get what he wanted, so I was glad for the reprieve.

  
  
Gerard and I spent the majority of the 10-hour flight talking about anything and everything that we could think of. I couldn’t get enough of the way he spoke. His voice was oddly rough, scratchy and soothing at the same time. On top of that, the way he often spoke out of the right side of his mouth was adorably charming.

  
  
We covered just about every topic, from childhood, to relationships, to jobs, all the way up until his death. He seemed to be so happy to be able to talk about his life and to learn about mine. His aura was radiating benevolence, and it filled me with joy to see him so full of life… for lack of a better word.

  
  
We also found it very difficult to keep our hands to ourselves. We were able to keep from ravaging each other in the bathroom, unlike during our previous flight, but even the simplest brush of his hand on my cheek, or running my fingers through his hair made for a passionate and amiable experience.

 

It was all so new to me. I had never felt so strongly for someone, and the fact that these feelings formed so quickly was a bit concerning. I didn’t know that I was capable of such intense emotions, but I embraced it wholeheartedly, even though I was unsure of how this would end. I didn’t want to think about that just yet. I forced myself to enjoy every moment I had with him while I could.

 

After several hours of lengthy conversations, revealing secrets and flirtatious touches, we had finally landed in New York City at LaGuardia Airport. It didn’t take long to find our way around considering both me and Gerard had been through LaGuardia several times growing up. We hastily retrieved our bags and hailed a cab to take us to a cheap motel that we were able to find online. We didn’t have Lucifer’s charm to rely on to get us a fancy hotel, so we had to budget with what I could put on my credit cards.

  
  
If we weren’t on a mission to save the world from impending doom, I would have actually been enjoying myself, as odd as that sounds. I couldn’t get over how much I enjoyed simply being around Gerard.

 

Within just a few minutes we had reached the motel. Gerard apologized continuously and said that he’d find a way to pay me back for the room, but I quickly discarded the offer and told him not to worry about it. What could the guy do? It wasn’t like he had a secret stash of funds he could rely on post-mortem.

 

The only rooms that were vacant were single beds. Instead of searching for another motel within our budget, we accepted the room and tiredly made our way upstairs to unwind after our lengthy trip.

 

We walked into the room and I could feel my cheeks turn red at the sight of the one lone bed against the back wall of the room. I turned to face Gerard to see that he was blushing as well, which made me feel a little less awkward knowing that he was just as flustered as I was.

 

His eyes darted around the room as he cleared his throat and walked forward to set the bags on the floor. “I think I’m going to take a shower. It’s been a long flight.”

 

“That’s fine. I think I saw a computer downstairs. I’m going to see if I can use it to send an email to my friends letting them know that I’m okay. I’ll be back in a bit.” He nodded his head and told me to be careful as I slipped out of the door.

 

It didn’t take long to reach the little room where they kept the only working dial-up computer. I sat down and impatiently waited for the outdated system to connect to the internet.

  
  
Once it did, the first person I emailed was Ray. The last time I saw him, Gerard and I had been tossing his unconscious body onto his bed in our apartment after Lucifer put him to sleep. Before that, he was having to console me as I was in hysterics, telling him that I was seeing the dead local artist everywhere I went. Though it turned out to be true, he must have thought I was crazy, and the fact that I disappeared right after that didn’t help at all.

 

I typed quickly and told him that I was sorry to leave without saying anything. My hallucinations were due to being overworked, so I went back home to my parent’s house in Jersey for however long it would take to get better. I asked him if he could let me borrow his notes for some of our shared classes when I got back as well. I didn’t even want to think about the mass amount of homework I would have when I got back… if I ever made it back. It’s funny to think that I was still worried about something as trivial as homework when it was a possibility that the whole world might end in a matter of days.

 

The next email I sent was to my parents, letting them know that I was still in school and doing well. I didn’t think that there was any need to inform them of my most recent predicament. I just thought it was best to let them know that I was doing okay.

 

The last few emails I sent were to my professors, asking them for extensions on homework because I had become ill with the flu and might be out for the next few days. Battle between Heaven and Hell or not, I had to get this shit done. It would be my luck that we would find a way to defeat Lucifer and then I would fail my classes. I don’t think that they would accept the excuse, “I was saving the world from Satan and preventing the apocalypse.”  

 

Once I was finally finished I realized how tired I was. Gerard and I didn’t sleep at all during the flight in fear that when we awoke, Gerard would no longer be there. I decided to go upstairs and get ready for bed since it was already pretty late.

 

Once I got into the room, I was surprised to find that I had only been gone for 15 minutes. I made my way over to the bed and plopped down onto the soft sheets, not bothering to change clothes. Just as I began to doze off, I heard a strange slippery noise, a loud thump and then a cry from the bathroom.

 

“Are you okay?” I called, sitting up. A minute passed and he didn’t respond. I got up and cracked open the door. “Gerard?” I asked cautiously.

 

“Yeah?” he answered in a pained, irritated voice.

 

“Are you okay? I heard something…”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he confirmed with a mix of laughter and embarrassment. “I slipped and hit my head on the damn shelf thing they have in here when I was reaching for the fucking soap. Apparently being in a coffin hasn’t improved my ability to move in cramped spaces.”

 

I laughed inwardly at his frustration, not wanting to rattle him further. “Well, I just wanted to make sure that you didn’t pass out from exhaustion or something.”

 

“Nope, still alive. Well…  sort of. You know what I mean.”

 

I chuckled and replied, “I’ll be out here getting ready for bed, okay?”

 

“Sure, I’m almost done. I’ll try to be quieter, sorry.”

 

I shut the door and walked over to my bag that was sitting on the desk to pull out more comfortable clothes, remembering how Lucifer had made me change yesterday so that he could clean them. I didn’t think that Lucifer would bother with such trivial human things like laundry, but he also seemed very high maintenance, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he would want to keep up appearances.

 

Just as I had finished changing, the door to the bathroom opened and Gerard emerged in the doorway wearing nothing but a towel hanging loosely around his waist. For a moment, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. His black hair, usually unkempt and full was now damp and curled slightly at the ends. Water was still dripping from his chest and arms down to the towel, giving his skin a sensational glow in the dim light of the room. The smoke from the shower was seeping out of the bathroom and it seemed to circle around him, causing an ethereal effect.

 

I swallowed hard as I continued to awkwardly stare at him. He then reached into the bathroom and pulled out another towel to continue to dry his hair with, making it even more unruly. I couldn’t help but gawk as he wiped all of the stray water drops off of his body before he threw the towel back into the bathroom. His gaze then locked with mine and I quickly averted my eyes, but I knew that I had been caught.

 

I turned around and began putting my dirty clothes into a plastic bag, not bothering to apologize for my impolite ogling of his body. When I was finished, I shifted back around to discover that Gerard has moved significantly closer to me, causing me to stare directly into those big, hazel eyes I’d come to know so well over the past few days. A small gasp of surprise escaped me as I took a step back. “Whoa, um, sorry…” I mumbled. To be honest, I didn’t mind the closeness. It just caught me off guard and caused an unexpected stir in my groin.

 

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a wry grin. “Sorry,” he cleared his throat awkwardly. “I, uh… I just wanted to grab my bag.”

 

I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off when he stepped even closer to me, deliberately reaching around me provocatively, rubbing his damp chest against my shirt as he grabbed the strap to his bag from the desk and bring it closer to him. I waited for him to pull back, but instead, he remained pressed against me, his hot breath running over my face.

  
  
“Er, Gerard… w-what are you doing? Lucifer’s going to be mad enough. We shouldn’t… -we can’t. You’re making me… Holy shit, it’s hot in here,” I stammered, starting to back up away from him towards the desk against the wall.

 

“Is it?” he asked seductively as he edged closer, closing the gap between us. I eventually reached the desk and realized that I couldn’t step back any further. He was much too close now, only a mere inches from my face.

 

I groaned with want as I noticed how dark his eyes were with desire. I couldn’t remember what I wanted to say. I couldn’t remember anything at that point, especially why we had agreed that it would be best to not engage in any additional intimate acts. All I could think about was how much I wanted to be held by this man and how badly I wanted to have him.

 

Nothing else mattered at this point. Not the end of the world, not Lucifer, not the fact that we were thousands of miles away from home, not the fact that he was dead, not anything. The only significance was that he was standing right in front of me, and moving in closer by the second.

 

All rational thoughts left my mind as soon as our lips made contact. His kiss was soft and sweet as our lips moved in a synchronized rhythm. His arms slowly wrapped themselves around my waist as he pulled me in closer, deepening the kiss. My hands slid up and down his body, relishing the feeling of his warm and smooth skin. He then slipped his tongue delicately between my lips, pulling back to run it along my bottom lip before delving in to taste me. I eagerly welcomed the hot, moist muscle toying with my own.

 

My fingers made their way from his strong, shapely frame to his damp hair. I pulled on his hair harshly, making him moan into my mouth. I could feel his hardened length through the towel, begging for contact. He must have noticed my arousal as well because he teasingly rubbed his own erection against mine, causing me to choke on my breath at the friction.

 

The kiss broke when his fingers made their way under my shirt and he slowly pulled it above my head, never taking his eyes off of mine. The moment he had tossed it aside, my lips were on his again. His hands traced the top of my pants before he began to pull them down.

 

Though my mind was consumed with lust, I couldn’t get a certain thought out of my mind. “Wait, Gerard,” I mumbled against his mouth. He grunted in retaliation and continued to try to lower my pants. I lifted my head up to try and get some air so that I could manage to form a full sentence. When he realized that I was weakly holding onto my pants, preventing him from removing them, he pressed his lips to my throat and started to suck on my neck as I gasped for air, making stopping even more difficult. As much as I didn’t want to, I demanded, “No, Gerard, stop.” He whined with frustration and pulled his face away.

 

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asked, eyes clouded with desire, but also with concern.

 

“When Lucifer finds out… ” I trailed off, not wanting to finish. He sighed and raised one hand to rub his eyes as his face scrunched together in stressful understanding.

 

“Frank, I know you worry about me, but I really think that it will be fine. I just… I can’t stop thinking about you,” he said as he caressed my face with his hand. I took his hand in mine and pulled it away.

 

“I’m serious, Gee. He was so upset over just you palming me through my pants on the plane. Imagine what he’s going to do when he finds out about… everything else.”

 

“Ugh, Frank,” he groaned as he pressed his face into my neck, nibbling softly for a moment before speaking again. “He won’t hurt us; he can’t. He needs you alive and he needs my body. If he could eradicate me from in here, he would have done so already.” He could sense that I still wasn’t convinced. It made sense, but I still worried.

  
  
“You have no idea how much I want this,” he mewled as his hot breath coated my throat. He lifted his hand to stroke my face again as he spoke. “I want you so badly, I can hardly think of anything else when I’m around you,” he cooed as he planted a soft kiss on my lips. “You make me feel so much more alive than I thought I could ever feel again. Please, Frank- don’t push me away,” he pleaded as he kissed me again before pulling back and looking straight into my eyes with a desperate need for affection.

 

I knew it was wrong, and I would probably feel guilty about it later, but his words extinguished any logical reasoning I had for denying him.

 

We kissed sloppily and passionately as he succeeded in finally removing my pants, leaving me in just my boxer shorts. His towel hastily dropped to the floor as my hands reached around to explore and appreciate the smooth curves of his ass. When I squeezed lightly, he growled low in his throat again before grinding up against me fervently, craving more contact. I smiled against his lips at his obvious yearning, enjoying the effect that I had on him.

  
  
He made quick work of removing all remaining articles of clothing and we broke the kiss long enough to stand back from each other to really take it all in. I marveled at his skin, and the way his body seemed to be flawless and unblemished. His lips were swollen from our kiss and they looked irresistible.

  
  
My face flushed as I noticed his gaze raking over the ink that adorned my body. He licked his bottom lip and a small moan escaped him as he lifted his hand to slowly drag the pads of his fingers across the images on my chest. When his eyes met mine again, he smiled adoringly. “Frank, you’re beautiful.”

  
  
I couldn’t stop myself from kissing him again, grinning at his flattering words while I shoved my tongue into his mouth. He pressed himself up against me, making his arousal that more obvious. The feeling of his nude body against mine was extraordinary and I never wanted this moment to end.

 

I guess it was more than he could handle because, at that moment, he stepped back and threw everything off of the top of the desk to unexpectedly lift me up and set me on it. The wood was cold against my bare flesh, but that was soon forgotten as Gerard began leaving kisses on my neck, sucking gently as he made his way down to my chest, making me tremble with anticipation.

  
  
I whimpered as he took both of my nipples into his fingers and squeezed gently. He then settled his mouth on one of them, flicking his tongue all around the hard flesh. I bit my lip trying to contain the moans that were building up inside of me. However, the cries of pleasure soon shot out of my mouth when I felt the familiar waves of pleasure surging through me.

“Please, don’t do that,” I begged through my arousal.

  
  
He looked at me with confusion, clearly caught off guard at my request. “What?”

  
  
“Don’t use that power on me. Please, not now. I want you, just you.”

  
  
He grinned mischievously, accepting the challenge that I had unknowingly set for him as his mouth returned to my chest and his hand grabbed my strained cock. I groaned wantonly as he pumped me faster, teasingly licking his way down to my crotch.

  
  
I half expected him to tease me as I had done to him earlier, but to my surprise, he wasted no time in taking me into his mouth, sucking on my head harshly, swallowing the pre-cum that had already formed. “Ooh, fuck, Gee,” I muttered under my breath as he deep throated me with expertise.

  
  
Too soon, he pulled off and stood back, smirking at my flustered irritation. “What are you doing?” I asked, failing to disguise how desperate I was for him in that moment.

  
  
“Turn around,” he commanded bluntly.

  
  
“What?” I huffed, confused, getting more impatient by the second. “Already? But, you-”

  
  
“Turn. Around.” He playfully twirled his finger and motioned for me to turn away from him.

  
  
Eyeing him suspiciously, I did as he asked and faced the wall.

  
  
“Lean against the desk.”

  
  
“Gerard-”

  
  
“Uh-uh,” he interrupted. “You won’t regret it, I promise. Please, Frank, just trust me.”

  
  
I sighed in frustration as I did as I was told, bending over the desk and resting my elbows on the wooden surface. I flinched as I felt his hands between my thighs, pulling them apart, causing me to instinctively spread my legs.

  
  
Whatever I had been expecting, it definitely wasn’t what he was planning. Before I could properly prepare myself, I felt his tongue lap at my entrance. My arms instantly gave way as I melted into the desk at the sensation. “Fuck! Oh my god, Gerard,” I mewled as his tongue continued to delve into me with blunt force.

  
  
Incoherent syllables escaped me as he continued exploring my entrance. It was almost too much to take. My thoughts were confirmed when his fingers were replaced by his tongue. I could feel the blood circulation leaving my hands as I grabbed onto the side of the desk for dear life, my legs trembling at the pleasure radiating through me. I writhed against him as his tongue returned to pump in and out of me. I almost lost complete control when his tongue moved up to lick a thick strip while he pressed another finger inside of me, finding my prostate with ease and rubbing against it firmly.

 

Before I went completely over the edge, I stood up, and quickly turned around, gripping his hair to drag him to his feet before pushing him back aggressively. He stumbled back and bit and looked at me, perplexed. I’m sure my expression was animalistic as I dug my nails into his arms and pulled him around so that I could push him into the desk chair. He fell into it with an “Oof”, and then chuckled darkly.

 

I straddled him and imitated his moves from before by kissing my way down his neck, occasionally nipping softly, making him hiss in arousal. I slid down onto my knees and looked from his pleading eyes to his throbbing member right in front of my face.

 

I took his cock in my hand and began by running my tongue up and down his slit. I could feel him tremble against me. I then settled my mouth just around the tip of his girth and sucked gently, letting my tongue flick and swirl all around it. I looked up to see him close his eyes and open his mouth slightly, lips quivering and gasping slightly every time my tongue slid across his slit.

 

“Oh… Mmph, oh god, Frank,” he moaned. I decided to give him what he wanted. I took all of him into my mouth at that point. He threw his head back and groaned loudly with satisfaction. With each thrust I bobbed my head, occasionally grazing the underside of his cock with my teeth, which he seemed to really enjoy. His fingers tangled themselves into my hair, forcing me further onto his shaft. I hummed against him, making him cry out even louder. I could feel him getting close so I removed myself from him, eliciting a whine from his full, suppliant lips.

 

I smiled playfully at him, which earned me a forceful lift back onto the edge of the desk. He kissed me softly, which surprised me before pulling away and silently begging me for entry. I nodded and pulled him into another kiss as he slowly entered me. I whimpered into the kiss as his thick cock pushed in further, inch by inch. My legs wrapped around his waist as I kept him inside of me for a minute, letting my head loll back as I adjusted to him. I let my legs relax when I was ready and he took it as a sign to pull back and enter again, but with a little more force. I cried out in bliss with every thrust as his hips snapped forward, harder each time he entered me. His head rested in the crook of my neck, showering it with kisses as he lunged harder and faster. My arms wrapped themselves around his neck as he increased his speed, desperate for additional friction.

 

I was taken by surprise when he growled and lifted me up, his member still sheathed inside of me as he made his way to the bed, setting me down gently and then continuing to thrust inside of me. My legs once against wrapped themselves around him, pushing him in further. He shifted his angle slightly and I cried out shamelessly as he found my prostate.

  
  
“Gerard! Fuck… right there, please, don’t fucking stop,” I begged as my back arched in pleasure as he prodded at my prostate with each forceful thrust. The pleasure was quickly becoming overwhelming and I knew I wouldn’t last long. I could tell that Gerard was getting close too by the way his thrusts were becoming sloppy and uncoordinated.

  
  
“Touch me,” I pleaded as he fucked me brutally.

  
  
He gripped my leaking dick in his hand and pumped furiously, knowing that it wouldn’t take long for my release. “Frankie, fuck… I’m gonna cum,” he warned, gasping and gripping me tighter, trying to ensure that I reached my high before he did.

 

Moments later, my body tensed up as the intense orgasm pulsated through my body. I cried out shamelessly as the waves of bliss crashed over me as I emptied myself onto his hand and my stomach. My vision went white as I swear I just about passed out from the intensity of my release. I had never cum so forcefully in my entire life. It was absolutely euphoric.

  
  
The pulsing feeling around his cock was more than he could take. He groaned loudly in ecstasy as he released himself inside of me, filling me with his seed. He fell forward weakly and rested on top of me only for a moment before rolling over onto his back, taking my hand in his and kissing the top of it gently.

 

“Wow. Holy shit, Frank. That was just… it was everything I imagined it to be,” he panted, exhausted, but satisfied.

 

I laughed breathlessly at his elation, still boneless from my own release. He smiled widely and leaned over to plant a loving kiss on my lips before getting up and walking over to the bags, rummaging through them in search of something.

 

“What are you doing?” I asked, still trying to form coherent thoughts after the best sex that I ever had.

 

He sat down beside me on the bed and revealed a pack of cigarettes in one hand and a lighter in the other. He avoided my gaze as he lit a cigarette and took a long drag, moaning lewdly as he slowly blew out the smoke. He met my confused gaze and extended his hand, offering me a drag. “No, uh, thanks. I don’t smoke. I didn’t realize that you did either.”

 

“I don’t,” he chuckled. “But Gerard does, and after an exhausting experience like that, I’m sure that he would appreciate the relief of a good smoke.”

 

I must have misheard him. “...What?”

 

He had the biggest smirk on his face as he eyed me with malevolence. “You were absolutely right, Frank. It  _is_ better when you sleep with someone that you have feelings for. It’s really a shame that Gerard wasn’t here to experience it.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Rubs hands together evilly while eagerly awaiting comments expressing the shock and betrayal* Muahahaha! >:D (I'm kidding, please don't hate me!)


	12. Sick

 

It was as if my entire world shattered in a matter of seconds. I shot up like I had suddenly been electrocuted. Holding the sheet to cover myself, I tried to jump out of the bed, but he grabbed my hand and violently yanked me back. I took the opportunity to spin around and punch him right in his nose. He flinched in pain as we both heard a sickening crack echo throughout the room. I could barely see his shocked expression through his hands as he lifted them to his face to catch the blood that was dripping down.

 

Though my hand was throbbing and I could already feel my knuckles bruising, I tried to escape again to no avail. He lurched at me with his crimson-covered hands and pulled back on my wrist in a vice grip, causing me to fall back onto the bed. “Let go of me you piece of shit!” I shouted.

 

“Now, now, Frank. Calm yourself; I can explain,” he insisted coolly, keeping his temper in check as he wiped the blood out from under his nose with the back of his hand.

 

“Explain what?” I somewhat shrieked. “You fucking-... you just-... fuck off!” I couldn’t find the right words to say. Humiliation and betrayal flooded my mind as I struggled to produce actual sentences to express my outrage. “You _lied_!”

 

“Well, yes, I tend to stretch the truth on occasion. It comes with the territory,” he laughed as the blood made its way down from his nose into his teeth, making him look even more terrifying. “Hold that thought, Frank.” He then held the bridge of his small, pointed nose tightly between his fingers and with a loud crunch, lodged it back into place. “Holy shit. That actually kind of hurt,” he said facetiously. “Very impressive, Frankie.”

 

I gave him the most furious and disgusted look I could muster. “Why the fuck would you do that? Did you really want sex that badly? You obviously knew that I would never stoop so low as to fuck you so you pretended to be Gerard? That’s really fucking vile, you asshole.” My voice was filled with hurt and anger, just as his face appeared to be stricken with.

 

“Oh, give me a break, Frank. Honestly, you cannot _possibly_ be that naive.” My facial expression gave away my confusion, to which he chuckled lowly in return. “This was not my first sexual encounter; far from it. Come now, as you said, I’ve been around since nearly the beginning of time. Did you really think that I hadn’t bedded your kind before? I didn’t realize that you were that gullible.”

 

“Lucifer… let go of me.” I seethed, warning him with my eyes that I was about to lose control.

 

“No, Frank. Not until you listen to me and allow me to justify my actions.” His voice was still calm, but I could hear a hint of irritation in it. I was still trying to pry his hand off of my wrist, but it wasn’t doing much good.

 

“Fuck you, Lucifer! I don’t give a shit about what you have to say! No wonder your grace is gone! God cast you out because you’re not _worthy_ of Heaven, you prick!”

 

The longer I spoke, the more his face fell. The smirk on his face was quickly replaced with malice and his eyes burned into the familiar red and yellow before turning fully black as I continued to spew hateful words.

 

“I don’t blame him; I would have tossed you on your ass too! You are the most repulsive, despicable, loathsome piece of shit that I have ever met! You’re never going to get back into Heaven because you’re a fucking _pathetic_ waste of creation! Go fuck yourself!”

 

As soon as the last word left my mouth, he wrenched my arm forward so that I almost fell on top of him. He quickly moved out of the way so that I fell onto the bed instead, still wrapped in the sheet. He swiftly straddled me and held down my legs with his own and leaned over me so that his hands pinned down my wrists. Rage surged through me as I fought to escape his iron grip, but Lucifer was far stronger and there was nothing I could do.

 

He waited until I briefly ceased my struggling before he said anything. “Are you done?” he asked, fuming, but still maintaining a sarcastic undertone. My only response was a glare of pure loathing as I panted heavily from the emotional stress. “Good. Now, you need to listen to me very carefully, because I will not repeat myself. First of all, you do not _ever_ speak to me that way. You are my inferior, partially made from the filth that is the human race, and you do not have the right to address me in such a manner.”

  
  
My upper lip trembled as I struggled not to shout in his face, but his blackened eyes still had a terrifying hold on me that even my hatred couldn’t penetrate. I despised the feeling of helplessness, but I was trapped.

  
  
“I’m aware that you do not appreciate the fine art of manipulation, but that is no reason to call my integrity into question. I quite fancy you, Frank, and it pains me when you speak so harshly in regards to my character.” He was trying to be serious, but I could see the corners of his mouth curling up into a slight smile. “With that said, if you ever speak to me that way again, I will not hesitate to rip out Gerard’s heart and then proceed to do the same to everyone else you care for. Do not make the mistake of underestimating me.”

 

I knew that he had the power to carry out that promise, but all logical thought was being blocked in that moment. Being tricked into sex is not only humiliating it was disparaging. I had never felt so worthless or violated in my entire life. So many thoughts and emotions were going through my head; I could barely comprehend what he was saying.

 

“There’s a method to my madness, I assure you. I suppose one could say that this was… an experiment of sorts.” He smirked and said, “You’re a wild one. I very much enjoy that. I can’t say for sure because I have laid with thousands of humans, but that may have been the best intercourse that I’ve ever had.”

 

“Fuck you,” I spat.

 

“You just did,” he replied with a dark chuckle. I ground my teeth together trying to hold back whatever vulgar comment I wanted to say.

 

Still smirking, he started to lean forward, his lips inching dangerously close to my own.

 

I hastily turned my head to the side and shouted, “What the fuck are you doing?! I’m not having sex with you again!”

 

“I’m not attempting to bed you,” he answered in an almost bored tone. “I was trying to kiss you.”

 

I stared back at him, my eyes wide with disbelief. “You actually expect me to kiss you back?! That’s not going to happen, now get off of me!”

 

“Frank, calm down. I’m trying to disclose my reasoning if you would give me the opportunity to speak.”

 

“I already know your god damned plan, Lucifer.” I scoffed, irritated that nothing seemed to have an effect on him. “You want to use me because I’m supposedly the descendant of the angel that helped condemn you to hell. It’s not going to work. There’s no fucking way I’m helping you, I won’t let you use me like that.”

 

I heard the irony in my words as soon as they left my mouth. He had already used me in pretty much every way since he kidnapped me. I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it. It’s funny how something so wonderful could turn into something so terrible in a matter of seconds. I should have known better. I should have felt that something was different, but I didn’t. I felt ashamed that I was clearly just as desperate for sex as Lucifer was or else I would have sensed that something was off, and now I had to live with that regret for the rest of my life.

 

Lucifer sighed, ignoring my refusal before speaking again. “Yes, that is true. I need you as leverage because of your lineage. I didn’t want you to find out that way, but there’s no undoing it. You’re a fighter, Frank. You have impressed me time and time again since I have met you, which is a difficult task. These past few days have opened my eyes to something I didn’t think would ever happen…”

 

His eyes were pouring into mine at that point. I couldn’t bring myself to look away from his piercing gaze as his eyes slowly faded from black to Gerard’s natural hazel color. His eyes locked mine in place as he struggled to find words, almost as if he was… nervous? I couldn’t understand his new demeanor. It was something that I hadn’t seen before and it didn’t suit him well.

 

“Frank,” he continued, his lips quivering. “I… I want you to be by my side for the rest of eternity.”

 

My jaw involuntarily dropped open in shock and disgust. He couldn’t possibly be serious. Could he not tell that I despised him with every fiber of my being?

 

After a few moments passed, he cleared his throat apprehensively in the uncomfortable silence. “I am asking for an eternal commitment from you. I suppose you could say that I am seeking a formal union.”

 

“Wait... y-you’re asking me to _marry_ you?” I asked, perplexed.

 

“Well, it’s a bit more complex than that,” he sighed, loosening his grip on my wrists, but still holding them down to the bed. “You see, because you’re alive, you cannot be with me in Hell; the living cannot enter Hell; it’s not possible. I would just kill you, but then you would be sent straight to Heaven.”

  
  
He seemed to be able to read my confusion as he continued. “The perks of being the descendant of an archangel is that you’re ‘insured’, for lack of a better word. You ascend to Heaven after death no matter what, so killing you is out of the question. We cannot have an Earthly relationship because eventually, your body will decay. I can possess whomever I choose, however young, but your body will continue to grow old, and when you die, you’ll go to Heaven. The only solution is for us to be together in Heaven. I need to get back into Heaven, Frank, and I need you to assist me.”

 

I tugged on my wrists gently to silently request to sit up. He complied and released my hands so that I could prop myself up on my elbows. I edged my face closer to his, which made his eyes widen with interest, his lips curling on the edges into a smirk. “Lucifer…” I whispered against his lips.

 

“Yes?” he breathed, his eyes glazing over with desire.

 

I stayed in that position for a moment, relishing how much power I seemed to have over him, even if he didn’t want to admit it. My facial expression changed from deeply enthralled to pure revulsion before I pulled back to address him. “I would rather die a horrible, excruciating death and rot in the pit of Hell, so far deep that it would be impossible to find me among the other damned souls than spend another _minute_ with you, let alone an eternity. I hope Michael finds you and kicks the shit out of you. I can’t wait for him to send you back to the depths of hell where you belong just as he did before. You’re nothing, Lucifer. Nothing but a disgusting, pathetic-” I didn’t get to finish my statement.

 

Lucifer forcefully covered my mouth with his hand and sighed. “I told you never to talk to me that way again, Frank. I guess you’ll have to learn the hard way.” Before I could comprehend his actions, he took two fingers and pressed them against my forehead. “Sleep,” was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

 

* * *

 

It had been a very peaceful, dreamless sleep. In all honesty, I didn't want to wake up. It had been too long since I was able to rest so soundly. I lifted my arms up to stretch, groaning at the satisfactory pull on my aching muscles. My eyes fluttered open and everything came crashing down when I remembered where I was. I was surprised to see that we were still in the same hotel room.

 

“Well hello, Sleeping Beauty,” I heard a voice next to me say. I turned to see Lucifer lying next to me on the bed, fully dressed and eying me with mischief. “Did you have a good nap?”

 

Abhorrence came flooding back as I rubbed my eyes with my palms, remembering how he used me and then somehow thought that it was smart to ask me to commit to him for eternity. As if this situation couldn’t get any more fucked up. “Fuck off,” I replied groggily.

  
  
He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Frank, I put you in a time-out so that your mind could rest and you would have the chance to rethink things. I have been inexplicably kind to you, but this is your final warning. Do not test my patience. You do not want to find out what I’m capable of, trust me.”

  
  
I glared at him with a daring expression. “So what? You just expect me to act like nothing happened? I can’t even fucking look at you without wanting to hurl,” I seethed.

  
  
“Be nice, Frank,” he warned, his smirk faded slightly. “You might not want to admit it, but you thoroughly enjoyed yourself. I satisfied you in ways that you had never experienced. Instead of being upset, you should be thanking me.”

  
  
“ _Thanking_ you?” I scoffed, knowing that I shouldn’t continue speaking, but my filter had somehow been eradicated. “Lucifer… I honestly don’t know how much clearer I can be. You _disgust_ me. I don’t feel satisfied, I feel violated. Are you too fucking stupid to understand that? Jesus, no wonder Michael cast you out, you-AH!”

 

It was as if my skin was being boiled off of my body. I squirmed among the sheets as I felt my head split open and it seemed as though my brain was being prodded by a hot iron. I couldn’t breathe as my lungs constricted harshly trying to find air, but it was useless. I was overwhelmed with the torturous sensation of every bone snapping out of place and piercing through my skin. My throat filled with blood and I could taste it rising up, causing me to choke on the crimson liquid.

  
  
I had never felt such an agonizing pain in all my existence. In that moment, I wanted my life to end. I wanted Lucifer to just kill me and be done with it. Anything would have been better than what I was feeling.   


After what felt like an eternity, the pain ceased, but my body continued to convulse with the shock of the physical and mental intrusion. I turned over and coughed up blood onto the pillow, finally able to get some air, which I inhaled greedily.

  
  
“There, there, Frankie,” he cooed, though I could easily detect the hostility in his voice. “That’s it, just relax.”

  
  
I continued to cough up more blood before glancing at him, my eyes brimmed with tears from fear and lack of oxygen. He smiled viciously at my desperate and confused expression, relishing in his work. “That was just a taste of how miserable I can make you. I’d really rather not do that again, so please, be respectful. Do we have an understanding?”

  
  
Still breathing heavily, I nodded weakly, feeling helpless against him once more. I hated this. I felt weak, used, and worthless. I was his toy; his plaything until he could get everything that he wanted from me. There was absolutely nothing I could do. I knew that it was a lost cause and I had somehow deluded myself into thinking that I could outsmart him and be cunning enough to get Gerard and me out of this situation alive and whole, but I was wrong. I was so, so wrong.

  
  
Pulling me from my internal turmoil, Lucifer got up from the bed, picked up my bag and tossed it to me. “Get dressed, we need to leave,” he demanded.

  
  
“Where are we going?” I spoke so softly that it was almost a whisper.

 

With a vacant expression, he replied, “We’re going to Calvary Cemetery. There's a church that we need to visit. As Gerard previously informed you, I believe that’s where my essence lies. That’s where we’ll find the object that’s containing it.”

 

I got up from the bed, trying not to expose myself to him as I quickly dressed. I shouldn’t have said anything more, but I couldn’t stop myself. “Lucifer, how do you expect me to help you after what you’ve done?”

 

“Don’t be so dramatic,” he scoffed. “I gave you exactly what you wanted. You were practically throwing yourself at Gerard. You needed a good lay, and I assisted you. And I’m not exactly thrilled with you at the moment either, Frank. You completely disregarded my request without even thinking about it. That didn’t make me happy.”

 

I tried to hold back my glare and upset tone, but it didn’t work. “Are you kidding me? Lucifer, do you even know how I feel right now?” Without waiting for a reply, I answered. “I feel used. I feel sick! I’m humiliated and the absolute last thing that I want to do is help you get what you want.” We both became silent, staring at each other from across the room. I was fuming once more, never breaking eye contact with him. I finally finished my rant with, “I wish that you would just kill me and be done with it.”

 

To my surprise, he laughed. “I can’t stay upset with you, Frank. You make me laugh too much. You’re adorable when you’re angry, you know that? I have a new proposal for you. Come with me to the cemetery, and I promise I won’t try to seduce you. How does that sound?”

 

“What makes you think that I can trust you?”

 

“Well, you’re coming with me either way, so you can deny my offer and I’ll continue to make advances towards you, or you can accept it, and I’ll keep my human hormones in check. It’s your choice.” He finished with a sly smile. He knew he could get whatever he wanted from me.

 

I sighed heavily, dropping my sight to the floor. “Whatever, Lucifer. I just… I don’t care anymore. Let’s go to the damn cemetery.”

 

His lips peeled back into a pleased, wicked smile. “Good choice, Frankie. You’ll come to find that I’m much more pleasant to be around when you’re compliant.”

  
  
I avoided his gaze as I finished dressing and threw my belongings into my bag before we left the room in silence. Only a few minutes later we were on the curb outside of the motel waiting for a cab. While we waited, a group of girls walked past us and I noticed them staring and giggling at Lucifer. Apparently, he noticed too because gave them a flirtatious wink, making them go red in the face with flattery. I rolled my eyes at his teasing. “Smooth,” I commented sarcastically.

 

He pursed his lips at me. “Jealousy is an ugly color on you, Frank. I know that deep down you want to tell those girls that they can’t have me because I already belong to you.”

 

I snorted in response, not daring to open my mouth in fear of what insult would come out and piss him off. “Don’t worry, there’s plenty of me to go around,” he finished, making me fight the urge to roll my eyes again. His ego was unbearable.

 

Once the cab finally got there Lucifer and I jumped in and headed for the cemetery, which was about twenty minutes away. “So what’s so special about this church?” I asked, trying to regain some form of normalcy… as if conversing with the Devil about his grace in a cemetery was normal. What the fuck had my life become?

 

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” Lucifer replied, staring out of the window with a dazed expression.

 

“So why are we-”

 

“Because it’s the last place they’d think I would look. Trust me, this is the place. I can feel it… ” he trailed off.

 

We sat in silence for a bit giving me time to think. What was going to happen to me and Gerard if we found Lucifer’s grace at the gravesite? Would he kill me? Was he serious about wanting to spend eternity with me, or was that just another lie to get me to do what he wanted? Would Gerard ever resurface and gain control of his body? Oh god… what would I say to him if he did? He said he could see and feel everything Lucifer did. He had to have already known about what I did with Lucifer. What would he say to that?

 

My thoughts were interrupted when Lucifer asked, “What are you thinking about?” I turned to face him to see that he was watching me carefully. I was so lost in my own mind that I hadn’t even noticed.

 

“Nothing,” I lied.

 

“There’s no need for secrets between us, especially now that we’ve been intimate with one another in the most vulnerable capacity. Tell me what it is that you’re thinking. Please don’t make me force it out of you.”

 

I looked from him to the cab driver and mouthed to Lucifer, _He’ll hear us_. Lucifer nodded his head in understanding, but he didn’t look pleased.

 

“So what are you two in town for?” the driver asked, obviously curious after what he had just heard. “I can see that you’re out-of-towners. New York is the best city in the world! It’s filled with rich history, great food, and lots of stuff to do. What made you decide to come here?”

 

I was about to tell him that I’d rather not discuss it when Lucifer grabbed my hand and kissed the top of it before saying, “We’re on our honeymoon.” I threw him a nasty look, which he chose to ignore. “Aren’t we, Frankie?” he asked with a challenging stare.

 

A smile grew across my face as an idea surfaced. “No, actually. This man kidnapped me and has been holding me captive for the past few days. He’s making me do his bidding and practically raped- AH, fuck!” I cried. He had crushed my hand in his to the point where I felt my muscles bruise. I could have sworn I felt bones crunching. The cab driver looked back at us in his rearview mirror, concerned.

 

Lucifer laughed nervously. “That’s my Frank, always a kidder. Darling,” he spat, staring daggers at me with acid in his voice. “I don’t think that now’s the time for your witticism,” he warned. He leaned in towards me and whispered, “Do you _want_ me to kill this man? He’s innocent, but I really don’t mind. Do not tempt me.” He put an emphasis on each word in his last statement to get the point across. The fact that I had put him on edge pleased me and put a smile on my face.

 

“So… your honeymoon, huh? That’s exciting…,” the cab driver commented awkwardly.

 

“Yes, it’s very exciting, especially because this one just can’t seem to keep his hands off of me,” Lucifer joked. Without warning, his hand made its way to the back of my head and he pulled my face to his, catching me off guard and planting a wet, sloppy kiss on me. I tried pushing him away, but his grip was firm and he smiled into the kiss, knowing that he had gotten me back for my misbehavior.

 

He finally pulled back and said breathlessly, “See what I mean?”

 

I sulked next to him and mumbled, “Fucker,” under my breath. The cab driver stopped talking after that.

 

A few minutes later we pulled into the cemetery and drove down a long, winding path before parking in front of a run-down church. The sight gave me chills. “Frank, why don’t you go wait for me on the church steps. I’ll only be a minute,” Lucifer insisted.

 

“Why?”

 

“Just get out of the fucking car,” he demanded harshly, his eyes flashing the same fiery color for a brief moment in warning. I had a very uneasy feeling, but I obeyed and got out of the car carrying our bags in tow.

 

I tried not to look back as I made my way up the walkway towards the church steps. I had almost reached them when I heard a blood-curdling scream coming from behind me. I whipped around and gagged at the sight. The windows of the cab were tainted with what was obviously blood, splattered across and dripping down slowly. I couldn’t see anything that was going on inside of it, but I could tell that a struggle was occurring. I closed my eyes and turned around, trying to think of anything else other than what was happening while attempting to keep my breathing even. I was having flashbacks of the night when he ripped out that man’s heart and I almost fell to my knees at the thought.

 

I jumped when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go,” he urged, not bothering to explain himself.

 

“W-why did you kill him?” I asked, close to hyperventilating.

 

“It was necessary. You gave away too much, Frank. I saw him reaching for his phone when we pulled up. I couldn’t take the chance. Don’t worry he didn’t have any family; he won’t be missed.”

 

“That’s not the point, Lucifer!” I shouted. He rolled his eyes at me and nearly dragged me up to the church steps, indicating that he was finished discussing the matter.

 

He pulled me to the bottom of the steps where he suddenly halted and pushed me forward. “What?” I asked through my heavy breathing, which was now starting to calm. I was trying not to think about how he could just as easily dispose of me and Gerard as he did the others.

 

“In case you have conveniently forgotten, this is hallowed ground. I can’t step foot there.” A plan of escape quickly crossed my mind, but Lucifer was already two steps ahead. “Don’t think for a second that I can’t get to you if you run in there. Come on now, give me more credit than that. Now, go and fetch them.”

 

“Who?” I asked, perplexed.

 

“Anyone,” he somewhat snapped with impatience. “Just go inside and bring out whoever is stationed inside. Make sure that they follow you past the steps and onto the dirt.”

 

“Will you hurt them?” I spoke softly, my voice laced with concern, not wanting to bring harm to another innocent person.

 

“Not if they cooperate,” he simply stated. The look on his face was that of pure determination.

  
  
“No,” I replied in return, standing my ground.

  
  
“Pardon me?” he gave me a daring look, which unnerved me.

  
  
I puffed out my chest and tried to look as strong as possible, but I knew it didn’t make much of a difference. “I’m not going to help you hurt anyone else, Lucifer. You’re asking me to bring someone out here to die. I've seen how you work, and I know how insignificant human lives are to you. I won’t do it.”

  
  
He looked as though he was about to strangle me, but after a moment of anger, he calmed himself and adjusted his neck, rolling it to crack a few joints before he stiffened as he sighed deeply. “Okay, Frank. That’s not a problem. I understand; you don’t have to do it.”

  
  
I hesitated, bewildered that he accepted my refusal so easily. “...Really?”

  
  
“Mhmm,” he hummed in agreement. “However, since you refuse to assist me further, there’s really no longer a need for this body. I think I’m ready to dispose of it.”

  
  
Before I could comprehend his actions, He quickly undid the buttons on his shirt and held it open before plunging his hand into his own chest. His lip quivered in pain as he dug deeper, aiming right for the heart.

  
  
“Stop!” I screamed, stumbling over myself as I gripped his wrist harshly, not pulling in fear that he would take out Gerard’s heart with him.

  
  
He held his hand steady, eyeing me, waiting for a verbal agreement. “Okay! I’ll do it! Just, please, stop!”

  
  
Grinning widely, he relaxed his fingers and pulled out slowly, his hand now covered in Gerard’s blood. “See, Frank? I knew that you were a reasonable guy. Go now, before I change my mind.”

  
  
I was physically shaking as I turned around without another word and started walking up the steps. I didn’t bother knocking when I got to the doors. I turned around to cast a quick glance at Lucifer, but he had vanished.

  
  
Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I opened the large, creaky door and stepped inside. “Hello?” I called out into the darkness.

 

“Yes?” I heard a man greet from across the small church, hidden in the shadows. “Who’s there?”

 

“Can you help me?” I asked thinking fast, trying to come up with an excuse on the spot. “I was visiting my family’s plot and when I got back to my car I realized that I left the headlights on and my battery died. I could really use a jump, but I don’t see anyone else around. Would you mind helping me out?” I saw a man poke his head out from behind a doorway on the other side of the church.

 

“Yes, of course. Let me grab my keys,” he replied before disappearing behind the door frame once more.

 

“Thank you very much, I really appreciate it. I’ll just wait outside.”

 

I walked back out of the church and made sure to walk past the steps as Lucifer instructed. Shortly after, I saw the church doors open and out walked a tall, middle-aged man dressed in black robes. It hurt me to know that he was about to be ambushed, but there really wasn’t anything that I could do to stop it. Not without getting Gerard hurt in the process.

 

Not even a second after his last foot came off of the steps was he knocked over by Lucifer who seemed to have come out of nowhere. He hit the ground with a thud and looked up into those piercing fiery eyes that I had come to know well over the past week. “Get up,” Lucifer commanded, his lip sneering at the unsuspecting victim.

 

“What are you doing?!” the man asked, clearly frightened. Lucifer grabbed him by the collar of his robes and threw him against the cab. I saw the man’s eyes look over at the bloodstained windows and he emitted a small sob. “What is going on?! Who are you?!” he shrieked, in confusion. He threw a desperate look at me and then suddenly it seemed as though he stopped breathing. “You?” he stated, disbelief written on his face. “Y-you’re… no, you can’t be.”

 

I raised my eyebrows at him, curious to know how he knew me. From what I could tell, I had never laid eyes on this man. “If you’re here, that means…” His gaze tore away from me and his eyes fell upon Lucifer. “Oh my God,” he cried.

 

“Not quite,” said Lucifer. “You obviously know who we are, so tell me, where is it?”

 

The poor man looked too shocked to speak, but after a moment he finally found his words. “P-please! I-I don’t know! Really, I don’t!”

 

Lucifer sighed, obviously irritated and held the man by the throat, lifting him slightly against the cab so that his feet were no longer touching the ground. “Don’t fuck with me. Tell me where it is before I lose my patience.”

 

“Lucifer…” I pleaded softly.

 

“Shut up,” he snapped back, ominously staring at me before looking back to the frightened man. “Tell me!”

 

“I-I can’t!” he shouted back. Lucifer smiled and started opening his mouth uncharacteristically widely. His jaw continued to expand as I heard bones crunching to accommodate the opening and his teeth grew long and jagged. It was a flashback of one of the first dreams I had about him when he attacked Ray.

 

He then sank his teeth into the man’s shoulder, causing him to cry out in terror and torment. He viciously pulled his teeth out of him to reveal a large bite mark, oozing blood down the man’s arm. He spat out a piece of the man’s flesh before his jaw popped back into place and his teeth returned to their normal size.

 

The man cast a pleading look at me, but I didn’t know what to do. Like a coward, I averted my eyes, unable to watch the horror unfold before me, knowing that I was the one who led this man to his death.

 

Lucifer demanded one last time, “Tell me, or these breaths will be your last!” Silence was heard after his request and I heard a growl escape him. I knew that this was it for the man.

 

I shut my eyes tightly, expecting to hear his final screams when I suddenly heard, “It’s _him_!”

 

I whipped around to see him pointing at me with one hand and clutching his wound with the other. “What?” asked Lucifer, confusion written on his face.

 

“ _The object lies within the chamber of the descendants_ ,” he quoted. I remembered Father Amorth uttering those words before Lucifer took his life in the most gruesome way. “He is the _descendant_ of Michael! His body is the _chamber_ and his soul hosts your grace!”

 

Lucifer swiftly dropped the man who fell harshly to the ground before slowly turned his whole body to face me, a malicious grin spreading across his face. “Well,” he breathed in awe. “That’s interesting.”


	13. My Heart Is Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIVE!!! I am SO sorry for my hiatus! It's been a really crazy few months. I've missed writing this story so much, and I really hope that I can dedicate more time to it without going another 3 months without updating. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter! I apologize for any typos in advance. I tried reading over this chapter several times, but was dead-tired and was too excited to wait any longer, haha. Cheers! xoxo

 

After a few moments of inspecting my shocked reaction, Lucifer tore his eyes away to look down at the bleeding man who was attempting to crawl away and kicked him on his side to get his attention. “How do you know this? How can you be sure that he contains my grace?” he snarled, his voice laced with malice.

 

Breathless and in immense pain the man replied, “We all know it! The Keepers were sworn to secrecy. Our job is to protect him…” he trailed off, wincing in agony while his shoulder bled profusely, refusing to look at me.

 

Lucifer sneered. “You gave up so easily. As pleased as I am that I broke you so quickly I’m also quite disgusted. A man died to protect him, you know. Father Amorth. You know of him, yes?” The man looked up at Lucifer with a look of disbelief, to which Lucifer relished. “Oh yes, he’s dead. I ripped his heart right from his chest. You humans are all the same; loathsome, ignorant vermin. All of you deserve to die.” Lucifer suddenly gripped the man’s coat to rip him up harshly from the ground to pin him up against the car, his eyes blazing. “Tell me how this happened,” he demanded.

 

Tears began to fall from the man’s eyes as he confessed. “W-we knew that you’d never suspect your essence to be kept within a human being. Y-you despise humans, so we thought that you’d never even consider it. Our theory was that you would think we’d hide it in a physical object that was worth something. M-Michael offered us Frank as a vessel for your grace and we all agreed that it was the best way to keep it from you.”

 

Lucifer peeled his lips back in an impressed smile and snickered. “Very clever.”

 

The man seemed to grasp that his time was coming to an end by the way his body started to relax. Breathing deeply, he started to speak with a newfound confidence, earning a questioning look from Lucifer. “I’ve betrayed my brotherhood for the sake of a few moments left on this Earth…” he trailed off, finally meeting my eyes dead-on. “You’re stronger than you know, Frank. I’m sorry that I have betrayed you. Forgive me,” he sobbed slightly before taking a quick breath, standing up straight, wincing at the pain, and staring smugly at Lucifer. “You know where your grace is, Devil, but you’ll never know how to get it out.”

 

“Oh, I have a few theories,” Lucifer replied coolly. “Unfortunately for you, you’re not involved in any of them. Take care.” Before the man could even object, Lucifer snapped his neck in one swift, careless move.

 

I gasped at the sudden kill and still couldn’t bring myself to move. Lucifer allowed the lifeless man to fall to his feet, not taking his eyes off of him before he softly demanded, “Come here, Frank.” My foot instinctively took a step back. He then turned his whole body towards me and demanded again, more sternly, “Come. Here.” I slowly started edging back, my whole body trembling. The moment he started taking a single stride towards me, I turned around and bolted away from him. I didn’t bother to look back. I didn’t even know if he was chasing me, but I wasn’t going to take the chance to stop and look. I had never run so fast in my life; it felt like my feet were barely even touching the ground.

 

I knew I had to find somewhere to hide. I couldn’t just keep running. I quickly made my way through the graves surrounding the church, zigzagging between them, trying to lose Lucifer if he was following me too close. I came across a mausoleum and pried open the doors before running inside, locating my way through the darkness into a corner, huddling as tightly as I could while thoughts of what had just occurred flooded my mind.

  
  
That couldn’t seriously be true. All this time, I had a piece of Lucifer inside of me? I felt disgusted. I wanted to reach inside of me and rip out the part of him that was coursing through me. I didn’t want to believe it, but it made so much sense - why I had been so connected to him and maybe even to Gerard. The thought of my involvement with Gerard just being an effect of Lucifer’s grace appalled me, and I wished that I hadn’t heard any of it.

 

A soft, slow crunch from the gravel outside pulled me from my thoughts as I held my breath in fear, wondering if he could sense my presence. He never had trouble finding me before, so thinking that I could hide from him in a graveyard was kind of pointless, but I wasn’t going to make it easy for him either. I didn’t want to find out what he had planned for me now that he knew what was inside of me.

  
  
“Oh, Frankie,” he called out in a sing-song voice, coming closer to the mausoleum “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

  
  
It wasn’t long before I heard the doors creak open as daylight flooded the cold room, causing me to blink a few times to adjust as I stayed low behind some sort of monument. I tried to listen closely to his footsteps on the stone floor as he took his time stepping around the structure, sensing for me.  

  
  
He huffed impatiently before calling out once more, “I’m all for fun and games, Frank, but as I’m sure you can imagine, I’d really like to proceed with my plans. I know you’re here, so why don’t you stop wasting my time and come forward. I won’t hurt you.”

  
  
There was no way in hell I was going to trust him; not after all of the shit he put me through, nevermind the fact that he was the Devil.

 

Before I even had a chance to think of a plan, his glowing hazel eyes peered at me from behind the top of the stone statue, which had been shielding me up until that point. His lips peeled back to reveal his small, pointed teeth, glinting in the light. “Well, hello there,” he teased as he effortlessly tossed the heavy structure aside. He extended his hand towards my crouched form, a wicked gleam in his eye. “Take my hand, Frank.”

  
  
“Fuck off,” I spoke barely above a whisper before I reached behind me to grab a handful of dirt from the floor and tossing it directly at his face, causing him to curse and stumble back while I stood up and ran past him, knowing that I wouldn’t get very far, and now all I’ve done was piss him off.

 

I started heading back towards the church before I noticed a car parked on the side of it. It must have belonged to the man that he killed. I prayed that the doors were unlocked, and much to my surprise, they were. Maybe luck was finally on my side.

  
  
I yanked open the door and leapt inside, locking the doors behind me as a crouched on the floor in the back seat, my body trembling from shock and fear.

 

Moments later, the back seat passenger side window shattered, littering my body with jagged shards of glass. I looked up to see Lucifer swiftly reach his arm around to unlock the door to get inside. I screamed as loudly as I could, desperately hoping to get someone’s attention as I tried to get up to leave out of the other door, but he already had a tight grip on my legs. He came in and lifted me so that I was laying on the benched seat instead of the floor. He forced himself on top of me, pinning me down with his weight. I thrashed and screamed, but I couldn’t shake him. I thought, _this is it. He’s going to kill me._

 

A cry suddenly emerged from his lips. His hands started to grip his stomach tightly as he crawled out of the car leaving me stunned and confused. He screamed in agony until he fell to the ground, panting heavily, seemingly not able to catch his breath. His fists pounded on the ground in anger as he shouted in what was either frustration or determination.

 

I slowly crawled out of the car, hoping that the reason for this outburst was that he was starting to lose control to Gerard. Moments later, he sat up on his knees and rolled his head back breathing heavily, sweat glistening on his face as he faced the sun, closing his eyes in what appeared to be a post-agonizing bliss. He carefully got up from the ground, his legs shaking, and made his way over to the car, walking past me and sliding into the back seat. His head lolled back onto the headrest as he closed his eyes and continued to catch his breath, barely observing my presence.

  
  
I cautiously sat down next to him, lifting my hand absentmindedly to place it on his own before stopping myself and attempting to speak. “Gerard,” I began hesitantly. I knew I had to say something before the situation became even more awkward. “There’s something I need to tell you-”

 

“I already know,” he interrupted. His voice sounded so tired, and if I didn’t know any better he also sounded hurt with a subtle tone of anger.

 

“So… you know everything?” I questioned, wondering what could possibly be going through his mind.

 

“Yes, Frank. I know that you and Lucifer fucked.”

 

My breath caught in my throat as he spit the words out bitterly. The harshness of his voice made me flinch, especially from his emphasis on the last word. But I deserved it. How could I not know? How could I be so stupid? Was I really that desperate for a good fuck that I didn’t realize that it couldn’t have been Gerard?

  
  
The only thing that seemed to bring me any form of comfort was knowing that Gerard couldn’t possibly be more disgusted with me than I was with myself.

 

“Gerard,” I croaked, sounding just as lament as I felt. “I’m so sorry. I never meant… I-I didn’t know…” I couldn’t find the right words. I felt so ashamed. It didn’t go unnoticed that this whole time he hadn’t even looked at me. Who could blame him?

 

“I was so stupid. I wasn’t thinking and I let myself get carried away. I really care about you, Gerard. I don’t know what the right choice is here. I won’t deny that I feel very strongly for you, whether they’re romantic feelings or strictly friendship only. I wish I knew, but looking back, in that instant, something came over me and I just let it happen. I wish I had a better explanation.”

 

He sighed deeply, licking his slightly chapped lips briefly before finally opening his eyes, which were brimmed with tears and utter exhaustion. I should have been relieved when he finally turned to look at me, but I wasn’t. I was mortified with the heartbroken look on his face.

 

I had imagined this moment countless times since I had slept with Lucifer, but never did I imagine him to look like this. I had to wonder if it was all my doing, or if it was a mix of that, and Lucifer’s essence taking a toll on his form. Either way, it didn’t make me feel any less guilty.

  
  
With a shaky breath, he weakly replied, “I don’t blame you, Frank.”

 

My brows furrowed in disbelief. I opened my mouth to argue, but he lifted his hand to signal that he wasn’t finished, causing me to shut up and listen. “I _want_ to blame you. I couldn’t understand how you didn’t know. I was screaming inside of him when he was…” He paused to grimace at the memory before continuing. “I just… I already felt like I was being used, you know?”

  
  
“I know,” I whispered softly, wanting nothing more than to erase that memory from both of our minds.

  
  
He hesitantly placed his hand on mine, trying to steady his trembling hand as he spoke. “I saw how convincing he was. He used your emotions against you, and he really didn’t give you much of a choice.”

  
  
A brief moment of relief washed over me as I understood what he was getting at. He was trying to place all of the blame on Lucifer, which, to be honest, I wasn’t necessarily opposed to, but I knew better - and deep down, so did he.

 

“To be honest, Frank, I don’t really know what my feelings for you are either. I can’t separate myself from Lucifer enough to understand it. I don’t know if what I’m feeling for you are my own emotions, or if it has to do with Lucifer’s obsession with you. So… I think…”

 

I didn’t know where he was going with this, but from the sound of his voice, I wasn’t going to like what he was going to say. “I think until this is over, this is where we need to draw the line. Regardless of what we feel for each other, this is over. If Lucifer makes a move on you, you’ll know it’s him because it will never be me. Do you understand?”

 

I tried to hide the agony on my face as he spoke. Every word that came out of his mouth was like acid in my own throat as I tried to keep my breathing steady. I couldn’t understand why this cut so deeply. Of course, everything he said made sense, but knowing that his time was so limited here, and that for the remainder of it I wouldn’t be able to express my feelings for him in any verbal or physical form was overwhelming in the worst way.

 

“Gerard… Gee,” My eyes cast down onto the floor as I couldn’t bear to meet his anymore. “I’m so sorry. Please, just-”

  
  
“Don’t.”

 

I tried not to physically wince at his refusal to hear my apology, but I couldn’t stop the wetness forming in my eyes as time went on.

  
  
“We need to move forward, Frank. I know what’s inside of you, and this just became a lot more complicated for the both of us. You need to leave.”

 

My head snapped up at his demand. “What?”

 

“You need to get as far away from me as possible. Lucifer knows what you are and he’ll be coming after you. You can get a head start if you leave now. I’ll go in the opposite direction of wherever you’re going so that will give you some time. I don’t know what he’s planning, but I know that there’s no chance of him letting you go now.”

 

“Where am I going to go?” I asked softly, still hurt from his justified brutality.

 

“It doesn’t matter. You just need to get on a plane and go.”

 

He sat up and walked around

 

“Wait, Gerard, please…” I hated how needy I sounded. This wasn’t like me. I was usually the one who broke it off with my previous relationships. And though I may not have known exactly what I felt for him, I knew that it was strong, and I wasn’t about to just let that go.

  
  
“What?” he spat, purposefully avoiding my gaze.

 

I edged closer to him cautiously, gently reaching out to place my hand tenderly on his arm. “Be honest with me, Gerard. Is this really just about separating me and Lucifer? Or is this about you not bearing to look at me? Do you hate me?”

 

He met my saddened stare with his own tired one. “I don’t think that I could hate you even if I tried.”

  
  
“Then why are you fighting this?” I asked, pulling him closer.

 

“Frank… stop,” he warned, but not bothering to push me away.

  
  
Ignoring his demand, I started placing feather-light kisses to his neck as I inhaled his scent deeply in the crook of his neck. “Please, Gee? I just need to know.”

  
  
“Kn-know what?” he stuttered, trying to mask his intrigue.

 

I pulled back, placing my hands on the sides of his face, forcing him to look me in the eye as I slowly leaned forward and placed my lips softly against his. I could feel his hesitation at first, but after moving my lips against his eagerly, his walls started to crumble.

  
  
It was as it should be in that moment. Everything just felt right. It wasn’t like that with Lucifer. So even if a part of him was inside of me, there was no way that was the reason that I was attracted to Gerard.

 

The kiss grew more intense as time went on. His hunger became more prevalent and he seemed to slip into a needy demeanor. Before I could control my own actions, I was shoving him back until he was pressed against the side of the car. I rocked my hips forward against him, earning a wanton whine, which was uncharacteristic of him. He usually seemed to be the one calling the shots - a characteristic that both he and Lucifer shared, which made it that much more confusing.

 

Pushing those thoughts away, I licked the inside of his mouth eagerly while my hands explored him. An involuntary moan escaped me as I breathed into the kiss. I was elated when I felt his hands hesitantly rest on my sides. It urged me to press my knee forward into his groin when I felt his slightly hardened state pressed against me.

 

Just as I was starting to completely lose myself in him, I was abruptly shoved back, almost knocking me off of my feet. “Damn it, Frank! Stop!”

 

I stumbled back, catching myself from falling and stammered, completely bewildered at Gerard’s sudden assault. He looked furious as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and began to aggressively straighten out his clothing, which had become unkempt during our interaction.

 

A slight rage started to build up inside of me at that point. “What the fuck, Gerard? Why are you being this way?”

 

His gaze snapped up to meet mine as he seethed before responding. “Do I really have to repeat myself? I said no, Frank.”

 

“But, I… I thought you said that you didn’t hate me?” I sounded like a child. I knew it, but I couldn’t stop myself.

 

He huffed impatiently. If I didn’t know any better, his demeanor was starting to become eerily similar to Lucifer’s. If I hadn’t watched the change occur before my very eyes, and he hadn’t been trying too hard to make me leave, I would have wondered if he really was Lucifer. It was getting more and more difficult to tell the difference anymore.

 

“I _don’t_ hate you. But that doesn’t mean that I want to be with you. At least not in that way.”

 

“Bullshit,” I accused, my anger become more prevalent. “Did it not occur to you that the only reason I slept with Lucifer was because I thought that he was _you_? Does that not have any effect on you at all? What changed?”

 

His heated gaze remained steady. I could see his jaw tightening as he clenched his teeth, holding back from what it was he wanted to say. “Forget it, Frank. You need to go.”

 

“No.” I simply answered, stiffening my posture to indicate that I wasn’t moving.

 

He didn’t seem to like that. He straightened up, towering over me slightly as he took a few steps forward, trying to intimidate me. “Leave. Now.”

 

“No! I’m not leaving until we talk about this!”

 

“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” he suddenly shouted. My eyes widened as I took a couple of steps back, surprised at his outburst. “Lucifer could come back at any moment! I can’t keep him contained forever!”

 

“I don’t care! Why are you pushing me away?”

 

“Because I’m _dying_ , Frank! Are you so ignorant that you don’t remember that?! Between using my body as a fuck toy and being Lucifer’s bitch you just conveniently forgot?!”

 

Ouch. I didn’t have a response for that at all. My mouth opened automatically a few times, making me look like a gaping fish, but no words would form, so I eventually kept it shut and just swallowed hard before casting my eyes to the ground in shame.

 

He shouted into the air, causing me to look up at him once more before turning around and punching the side of the car, leaving a dent in the driver’s side door. His chest was heaving as he turned around, unphased by the action that should have broken his hand, but didn’t seem to have an effect on him.

 

By the time he spoke again, he seemed to have calmed down and his voice was soft. “I’m sorry, Frank. You didn’t deserve that. I guess I’m more upset about it than I thought.”

 

“It’s fine,” I lied, knowing that I probably deserved worse. “I hurt you.”

 

His red, exhausted eyes met mine as he subtly nodded his head. “Yes.”

  
  
“I’m so sorry,” I replied, my voice cracking. “I can’t take it back. I wish more than anything that I could. I wish that it was you that I was sharing that moment with. I was stupid to think that you… that you would really want me. In that way.”

 

He stepped closer, raising his hand tenderly to brush against my cheek. “I do want you, Frank. That’s the problem. I wouldn’t be feeling this way if I didn’t feel something for you.”

 

Before I could comprehend his action, he brushed his lips lightly against mine for only a moment before pulling back, giving me a tender look. “I’m sorry that I lost my temper. I’ve had all of these built-up feelings that Lucifer keeps locked away and they all came spilling out at once. I meant it when I said that I don’t blame you. I promise. I just… I had to express that before I could move on. Okay?”

 

I choked back a sob, trying to contain my mixed feelings of remorse and relief before nodding softly, forcing a weak smile to put him somewhat at ease. “Do you still think that we should keep our distance?”

 

“Yes,” he replied quickly. “Both physically and emotionally.”

 

I sighed deeply, leaning forward to rest my forehead against his, not able to respond.

 

He seemed to read my thoughts instead. “I know that it’s not ideal - for either of us, but it’s what’s best. I know that you and I share a connection, and while I’ve indulged it for this long, it doesn’t appear to be helping our cause. I just want to protect you, Frank. Can you understand that?”

 

“Yeah… I get it. I just… I don’t want to lose you.”

 

He looked wrecked. We both knew what his ultimate demise was. He couldn’t stay here forever, and when Lucifer was done with him, he’d be dead once more. I was falling in love with a man that I could never be with, and when that realization hit me, it felt like my world had shattered all over again.

 

We exchanged unspoken knowing glances at one another before he cleared his throat to break the silence. “Okay, well, uhh, I guess this is goodbye for now. I’ll try and keep him contained for as long as I can, but I have no doubt that he’ll eventually find you. I don’t have the answers, Frank, but I need you to promise me that you’ll be strong, and that you won’t give up without a fight. Promise me.”

 

“Yeah, Gee. I promise.” I really couldn’t bring myself to say much else. I knew that Gerard was trying to be strong for the both of us since I was so clearly on the verge of falling apart.

 

To my surprise, before I could say goodbye, he grabbed the front of my jacket harshly and jerked me towards him, our lips colliding in the process. I made a slight noise in shock as his sudden action, but shortly started to melt into him as his tongue prodded against my lips, licking against them.

 

My hands made their way around the back of his head, my fingers entangling themselves up into his hair as I urged him on. Even with his tongue inside of my mouth, it was as if we weren’t close enough. I breathed him in, wanting to memorize every part of him. His smell, his taste, his touch. It was everything that I never knew that I so desperately needed and I never wanted it to end.

 

He pulled back what seemed like far too soon, both of us breathless from the intensity. “I had to do that. One last time.”

 

Still panting, I replied, “Thank you. For everything.”

 

He smiled sadly at me before he handed me a set of keys and a wad of cash, which apparently Lucifer had taken from the dead man. Though the back window of the car was shattered, and the driver’s door was not dented, it was still drivable. It was enough to get me back to the airport.

 

“Is this the last time I’m going to see you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

 

“Not a chance,” he winked, but we both knew that it very well could be.

 

Before I could reply, he stepped back, giving me a last once-over before speaking again. “Goodbye, Frank.”

 

There was so much more I wanted to say - so much more that I wanted him to know, but it was probably better left unsaid considering how uncertain our future was. Instead, I gave him the most convincing smile I could summon, and replied, “Goodbye, Gerard.”

 

Walking past him, it took everything I had not to beg him to let me stay with him. I didn’t want to do this alone. I needed him, more than he could ever possibly understand, but even stronger than my feelings for him was my hatred for Lucifer, and I’ll be damned if I let him win so easily.

 

I started the car and began driving towards the airport. I couldn’t help but steal one more glance in the rearview mirror as I drove away, immediately knowing that I would forever be haunted by the memory of Gerard’s distraught, tear-streaked face for the rest of my life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch. Don't worry, this story ISN'T over!!! I have the entire rest of the story all planned out and there's still a good 3 chapters left at least. Let me know your thoughts!


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